Untitled
by Nicole1612
Summary: Ichigo finds himself in charge of the youngest captain of the Gotei 13 after the latter's condition had gotten out of hand, forcing him to accept the only possible solution until his mysterious illness could be cured. IchiHitsu. This is ABANDONED. Won't hurt to give it a try though. Warning: Spoilers of the manga events.
1. Prologue

**So I've never managed to finish this fic, although I wanted to before I publish the whole thing but sadly, I've lost the inspiration. Hope you'll still enjoy what was written of it! Please give it a try, I still want to know what people think of my writing.**

 **A small Prologue, but chapters will get a bit longer.**

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Hot.

He woke up suffocating and as he jostled to try and take air in, the first thing that occurred to him that it was unbearably hot and his body was drenched with sweat. His breathes were slow and shallow, probably not taking as much oxygen particles as his body demands it to even with the unusual neck muscles he was using to help take as much air in. His whole form felt too sluggish, limbs too weak, as if he was put into a limp, helpless rag doll. He barely managed to move and lift himself up with his floppy arms, struggling with a great difficulty until he was up enough that when he let go, his back fell into the headboard behind him, resting his back to it as he realized that he just used the last ounce of strength that he had. He tried to open his eyelids, they felt as heavy as lead, but he thought he could do it and he did.

Although his head was lolling a little to his shoulder, the headboard still kept him right and his line of sight was almost as good. His vision was still blurry and unfocused, but there was an unusual amber blaze he could make out there, in the right far corner, opposite the bed he was on.

What was that?

He blinked once, then again for a couple of times to clear the blurr and it seemed to work. Only for his weak breathing to stop and air to hitche within his throat.

What's happening? Is he still asleep, dreaming, or is he going crazy? He hoped that it was the former, and that he was going to wake up any moment now of this dream- no, nightmare and soon He'll be going through his usual day with paperwork, scolding a lazy subordinate or two and fetching out sake bottles hidden within the office.

But no, this seemed too real, _felt_ too real to be a mere dream. He could tell, He always did.

That was the source of the heat, He concluded, all in its brilliant, fiery glory right in front of him. Now he'd noticed it, he could hear soft crackles coming from it, and throughout all the burning hell and suffocation he's fighting against with all he had, the soft little crackles were actually soothing, relaxing, it could have soothed him into the deep slumber again... probably killing him afterwards... almost...

If it weren't for the fact that it's hungrily consuming a real man in its depths.

Fire was surrounding him completely, but nothing of the area around him seemed to be effected. It's all in him, around him, inside of him and through his skin and pores as he's emitting this fire himself but gotten hurt and burned in the process. The poor man sat balled around himself, his mouth wide open, face twisted in complete agony, but he isn't really screaming. But Toushiro didn't need to hear screams to know he's suffering.

He wanted, needed to help him! so bad. He could've easily countered that burning fire with his icy water, or just bury his blade to his heart and take him out of his misery, killing him but sparing him any more pain. So He tried, knowing that he didn't even have the energy to move an inch, but he tried anyway and closed his eyes so he could concentrate to summon whatever spiritual particles he still had. But nothing happened though. He couldn't control his powers- actually it wouldn't have been a problem for such a situation since losing control meant to freeze everything around him, that would've put the fire out- but he didn't have any to control in the first place.. Where's his powers? He didn't have them, he couldn't summon a single snowflake, and for the life of him he could never reach his blade wherever it is, nevertheless reach the burning man and stab him..

Or even reach out to seek help...

...Where's Matsumoto? Where is she when he needed her the most? It made him feel weak to think like that, to want to seek help from others like that, it's something he just never did, but he'd never felt so helpless, so hopeless before and so.. so scared. He wasn't in his right mind either but if it meant saving that poor soul from its agony, He'd do anything.

Except that in reality, he can't do anything.

He opened his eyes again and looked aroud, pupils darting from side to side, anywhere and everywhere but the man in front. Pulse beating loudly in his ears, light tremors shook his sweated body and breaths were labored yet too shallow. His head slid slightly down the headboard and that when he realized that his consciousness started to slip away as the air felt so much thicker, if possible, and with this he jostled on his bed again as an idea struck his mind as a last resort, however little chances it got to work, and opened his mouth to shout, to actually scream for help if that man couldn't have the ability to, but nothing came out but weak moans and whimpers.

 _How pathetic._

He closed his eyes as his vision became too blurry to see, the exhaustion and lack of oxygen taking their toll on him and the moist accumulating weren't helping. He tried to regain his composure, trying to deep breath and just think. Think! Dammit! Maybe if he could concentrate enough he could reach Hyourimaru and-

Hyourinmaru.. how could he forget...

'I'm here.. Little one.'

'...Hyourinmaru?'

'Open your eyes.'

And for the last time that night, he did.


	2. Chapter 1

**So before you start chapter one, know that this is settled after the Quincy war, but many things I've changed because, I hated how it was made in the manga, and I haven't followed it faithfully so I might make up a lot of things.**

 **You only need to know that, Toushiro's matured bankai never happened and never was I going to include it since I had different ideas. Yamamoto, Ukitake and Kira are not dead! But Aizen is.**

 **Ah and obviously this is Shounen-ai! IchiHitsu.**

 **Please read and review!**

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Matsumoto Rangiku, lieutenant of the tenth division was on her way to tenth captain's office late that afternoon- where she actually was supposed to be, doing her own share of paper- She knew her captain will probably be in his usual bad mood with all the paper she ditch him with, or worse, with all the hidden sake he may could have found out in his office, but.. but she couldn't care less! She had some great news- ok gossip she had heard about and she'll be damned if she did not share them with her lovely-but-still-too-grumpy captain of hers, especially when said gossip actually concerted him! Besides, she knew that deep down taicho had that lil masochist creature in him that does enjoy the suffer that paperwork always come with, so it's not really that bad, is it?

Thus, she kept the huge smile on as she neared her destination, mouth open as she cooed loudly, "Taichoooo~. Tai-!"

The blonde woman stopped her calls just as she hit the door to her captain's office open, enthusiastic face expressions falling as she did so. She was expecting said captain's face deep into the paperwork at the desk, except that the white paper was actually in a messy pile there -messier than the usual- but no sight of a particular white head.

"Eh?"

Gazing around the empty room; at the couch, beside the tea kettle, up the ladder at the bookcase, she even went to look out the window where he usually did his meditation. Still, no sight of him. Although she could feel his reiatsu in the room if she concentrated enough, very faint, but it indicated that he was at least at this room the day before, probably late at night.

And that worried her.

She shouldn't have felt it unless he intended for it to be loose, which is rare for a Goti 13 captain, and even rarer for the tenth division captain who's known for his perfect ability to reign his reiatsu in. Last time he let it loose that it still lingered around even hours after his leave, it was when she found him collapsed out of exhaustion in an alley in the middle of the night, near his captain quarters, the worst part of it was that he didn't seem to remember it happening as he woke up in the morning after she carried him to his bed, and even went through his day like nothing unusual had happened. She kept silent though.

"That's.. weird." She muttered to herself, setting on her favorite couch at the office. Where could he have gone to this time? and in the middle of the day. She noticed few paperwork along a file or two scattered at the floor around the desk, ink spelling on some and at the desk itself. That's going to stain. She thought. Buffing a string of hair out of her face, she stood up and walked out the office. Heading to the only other place she thought -of what she knew of- he'll be in, back to the captain's private quarters, she gotta try.

The blonde found herself standing and storming out the room. As she made her way towards her new destination, she couldn't help but let her mind wander about what would have befallen her captain, and dear friend, to cause him to suddenly ditch his duties. He couldn't have possibly gotten lazy all of a sudden and decided he'd stay at bed all day, could he? It's the afternoon already and he's usually up and about around 7 O'clock, if not earlier; and she's sure as hell he did not take the day off, either!

... Or maybe he did? He's not sick or anything, right? He couldn't be.. Yeah that's gotta be it, probably her laziness finally rubbed off on him. But the thing is she's having none of it! She's going to emerge right into his bedroom - regardless of his decency, she could care less - and drag his lazy ass out of his bed, and no matter how loud he yells at her she ain't gonna stop because she has super great plans for him and she was about to play the matchmaker because she just learned about super great news and-!

"Matsumoto fukutaicho?"

She stopped her feet and turned around at the call of her name, "Ukitake taicho!"

The sickly man smiled at her surprised face, probably not expecting to see him in this part of the district and so he saw the question coming, "Um, it's not to say it isn't pleasurable to see you at the tenth, it is indeed! But may I ask what brought you here, Ukitake taicho?"

She saw his smile faltering a little before taking into a more worried expression, she couldn't help the anxiety that started creeping into her chest at that, again.

"Actually, I was going to check on Hitsugaya-taicho, I thought I might find him in his quarters but now that I walked into you, may I ask if he's feeling alright? um, I wouldn't want to bother him if he's not up to visits.. ?"

She blinked at him.

"Uh..." Matsumoto trailed off. Ashamed at herself for not actually knowing about her captain's whereabouts and wellbeing. It was the vice-captain's atmost duty to look out for thier superiors, as it was for the captain to do for thier men. And not only that, _Toushiro_ was _her friend,_ she cared for him more than anyone could fathom. However, before the silence stretched for too long, "I haven't seen him since yesterday, I was going to check on him just now."

It was ukitake, after all. She knew he wouldn't judge. Still she couldn't help the slight stab of guilt as his forhead wrinkled in more of a worried frown, "He wasn't in the usual captains meeting this morning and it's really unlike him, you know? he'd never miss one without at least giving an excuse beforehand so.. "

Whaat?

Rangiku blinked, squeezing her eyes shut before opening them wide again like she's making sure the long haired man is actually standing before her, talking to her. He's still there though. Well then forget about that last super exciting plan.. something is definitely wrong with her captain.. something is wrong with _Toushir_ o, She reminded herself. Everyone knew he would never miss a captain meeting, not but for strong reasons, it was like a rule, and she didn't want to think what those reasons might be.

If she wasn't sick worried beforehand despite her desperate tries to reassure herself, she definitely is now. Her stomach felt like it's twisting into a very uncomfortable knots, heart pulse accelerating, palms getting clammy, and since when gulping was too hard to do?

She didn't stay put for long, she was already moving towards her previous destination before the thirteenth's captain interrupted, she knew it was rude to walk away like that without any words, or a bow in case of a superior officer, but thankfully the white haired man caught on her unusual behavior and took off alongside her. morals and manners forgotten now for both of them. She managed to gather her wits before telling the elder taicho about her part of the current situation, how she didn't see him all morning herself and how unusual it is for him to abandon his duties at the office. Both realized that the faster, the better, and so if an outsider were to see them, they'd think they're in some kind of a race because of how fast they were shunpoing.

It was late at night, gotta be around 2 or 3 a.m. now. He sighed as he finished yet another paper and put it to the side, he forgot to get another clock instead of the last one he had broken a while ago. It was an accident, really, or maybe not. He just got so frustrated with the paperwork that he couldn't stop himself from throwing the heaviest object that came in handy to the farthest wall. He sighed again, rested his forhead against the wooden surface of the desk and closed his tired eyes.

Lately, he noticed, he was feeling a bit... different. He ain't able to do his paperwork as efficiently as before; concentrating on specific things are becoming a bit difficult, words aren't as easy to spell, he couldn't do the simple mathematics for the financial reports as swiftly, either. And now he's becoming forgetful.. when is he going to remember to bring the damn clock? He didn't know.

"Stress must have taken its toll on me."

And he was right. After the Quincy war was over, everyone in soul society struggled to get things back to normal in Seireitei, every single shinigami put their all to it, captains more so than their men, and they seemed to be succeeding. Seireitei is almost back to the peace everyone fought so hard to achieve; Architectures and buildings are restored and repaired. The injured are healed thanks to the soul society's most experienced doctor and her division's efforts along with Inoue Orihime's great abilities. Captains and lieutenants back to their respective divisions, thankfully no un-occupied positions this time. Things at the world of the living are fine, now the Substitute Shinigami and his friends could finally focus on their human lives and studies in peace. Although a specific carrot-top would not cease his visits to their own world to _'check on you guys since you don't seem to know how to handle yourselves without me',_ as he so humbly put it.

A soft smile adorned the captain's lips. "The idiot."

For some reason, his smiles increased in their frequency whenever the rash substitute was involved, he'd even get those rare chuckles out of the seemingly stuck up captain, and the latter doesn't really seem to mind. It actually puts him in ease and left up his mood. Although he ain't gonna admit it to anyone anytime soon, especially not his nosy of a fukutaicho.

But it's not like he's the only one who had noticed.

Well, not to say the carrot-top never gets to the other's nerves, he does quite efficiently at times, but otherwise, prolonged interactions with said carrot-top could get him in a very good mood for a whole day, lessen his grumblings and cause his usual scolds -yellings - to be half-hearted, much to a particular lazy lieutenant's relief. He sighed for the hundredth time that night as he closed his eyes and rested his forehead on an arm on the table, he did more thinking and pondering instead of the actual work, at this rate he isn't going to accomplish anything.

"Gods, I better go to bed." He whispered to himself, and finally stood up, hands on the paper coverd desk to support his jelly legs as he did so- that's what you get for sitting at a desk for too long- he tried to stretch and kick out his feet before he raised his head and opened his eyes,

And then froze.

What the hell?

"..."

A bald man, was lying there on the floor parallel to the desk; naked.

...Ikkaku?

Did Matsumoto get another man drunk at his office, again?!

He almost got angry, almost, before his tired brain caught into the man's form. He was very, extremely thin, except for his abdomen that was beyond enlarged for a scraggy body. Skin stretched over the almost skeleton, brown, spotty scars all over it. Limbs unnaturally short, fingers deformed in a gut twisting way, arms resting rigidly at his sides, short legs stretched behind him. He was laying on his enlarged belly, face to the other side away from Touahiro's line of vision, but he didn't need to see his face to realize that no,

Definitely not Ikakku.

Who- What.. How did this thing got in here? Was it alive, was it real at all?! was-

A moan. And hitch of breath.

Only the second one emitting from the white haird head.

"Mama did this to me."

"..." Mah..ma?

But he could not say it aloud, his throat had constricted, chocking him and making breathing even more difficult as absolute fright seeped into his very core, heart hammered in his ribcage and heat spread up to his head that it ached. He just stood there, as a statue, tiny hairs prickling at the back of his neck as he watched the figure before him. Why? It could not hurt him, could it? Or could he? He's barely alive. He frantically thought, and yet here he was rooted to the apot, hands on their previous position on the desk; he couldn't speak, couldn't move, couldn't even blink his eyes, he's just lucky that he's still breathing at all. It was a fight, flight or freeze situation; he'd always thought he's one to fight, or even run if he absolutely needed to, but never did he thought he'd face a situation where it could get him completely frozen to the spot, it might have been to give him time to decide, what to do? But with his frazzled state of mind, he couldn't think of anything and just stood there as he was statue, wide teal eyes never leaving the sight before him, never diverting, never blinking.

The man turned his head, as it was in a slow motion unil his face was facing the floor, before he propped his little palms to the floor to support him raise his upper part up. The small taicho kept staring wide eyed, he could see the man's short armes trembling enormously as they struggled to lift the heavy torso up, the prodigy couldn't even fathom how it- _he_ could manage to get up in such a state. The man's head was still hanging down towards the wooden floor, preventing teal eyes from taking a look at his face, not that he could have gotten a good one in the first place under the poor illumination coming from the moon or the little candle at his desk. Although his mind was screaming for him to get away, to just _move_ , but his body couldn't obey and it didn't help that there was that very little, curious part of him that wanted to see and _know,_ what kind of thing that was in front of him.

The man continued to raise himself up, bending his knees before setting on the heels of his feet, "She could've just aborted me, you know? Saving us both the misery."

And Hitsugaya's mind went blank. his head lolled to the side in shock and confusion, some of the tension seeping out of his body and breathing was a lil more easier, but he did not notice. All he could see was the man in front of him and the the soft, but hurt tone he had just heared. Many emotions suddenly burst inside of him alongside the previous fear. Hurt, loneliness, guilt, hatred, a little longing and sadness but mostly the pain.

The deformed man finally stood, knees quivering under the weight but managed to. Slowly, he started to turn his head towards the other occupant of the room, but that was all it took to snap the other out of his haze and despite the little ounce of curiosity that was still there, fear dominated the situation.

And teal eyes closed shut.

"She could've- "

...!

Silence.

The man's speech was cut off just as the lids covered the emeralds, the owner of the eyes' body was left trembling; ragged, shivery breathing - that was his own- was all what he could hear in the otherwise very quiet room, blood pumping furiously into his head, a migraine starting to take its furious grip on it.

Hastily, he started opening them, praying to whoever is listening that all of it was just a trick his mind wanted to try on him..

Teal eyes gazed around, no one was there,

 _Thank god.._

Body turned limp as all the tension seeped out of his body all at once, before falling sideways to the merciless hard wooden floor. His side hit the surface hard with few paper and files coming down with him from where his hands had been on. knocking an opened ink bottle to spill at his desk, but he couldn't care less. He just lay there at his side, panting harshly as he tried to regain his senses. He'd _never_ felt this frightened before, never ever did he feel this hopelessly terrified.

And in his pondering, he couldn't help but realize that, it wasn't harm he feared, nor death. It was the unknown he feared, and it was so much greater than any fear he had experienced before.

He took one last, shudderd deep breath before he began to retain his composure, or what close to compsure he could achieve.

 _I'm going crazy_... He thought.

He stood up on his not so steady legs, put up the candle's fire with his thumb and forefinger and gazed one last time around the room, that was still empty to his greatest relief, before he closed the office door behind him and headed to his quarters, the phenomenon left him so much more exhausted than he already was, what with all the fear and anxiety his mind put him through and so he craved to get a good night sleep.. or so he hoped.

Both Taicho of the thirteenth and fukotaicho of the tenths stared patiently at their fellow/superior, waiting for interpretation of what it was that had befallen the younger white haired captain in his sleep.

When they've reached said captain private quarters few hours ago, the strawberry blonde lieutenant had barged in to find her captain at his bed, leaning partially at the headboard with his neck twisted into an uncomfortable position, his skin flushed a little and his clothes and hair a bit wet with sweat, some strands clinging to his troubled-looking face; but what had scared her most was that he was breathing so rapidly, yet too shallowly to be efficient and she wasted no time jumping to the bed to grap the unconscious boy into her arms, checking a few vital signs all the while shaking him slightly and calling his name -"Toushiro" she had called- to try and arouse him, until the other man in the room stepped in and took him from her arms and practically flied to the fourth squad barracks where a knowing Unohana -probably already had sensed the disturbed riatsu coming her way- was waiting and had immediately took charge to manage the sick soul reaper.

Now as Unohana came out the room Hitsugaya was kept in, meeting the worried glances cast at her, the always smiling captain made sure to reassure them that the boy's condition is now stable, before asking for them to follow her into her office for further explanations.

"Apparently Hitsugaya taicho, for unbeknown reason to me, yet; had not been breathing efficiently at his sleep. He's been breathing at an abnormally quick, shallow rate when he came here, and I believe his breathing patterns were disturbed for a probably long while before he was brought here but the effects did not show until now." She paused, looking for any signs of recognition in Matsumoto's demeanour or for a response, anything that could confirm her assumptions about the lieutenant's captain recent behaviors. Nothing though, the woman kept staring back at her, prickling widened eyes with her expressions twisted with a worried frown.

"Is he going to be ok? when is he waking up?"

The kind doctor sighed before answering,"He wasn't able to take as much Oxygen as needed, increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in his blood instead, that what led to his current state of coma. Nevertheless. I've provided him with air and oxygen and fortunately, his blood oxygen levels and pH are going back to normal, and with some needed rest, he'll be fine."

Her frown settled an un-easy feeling in her audience.

"He's obviously been so stressed, I'm glad he hasn't been delayed any longer getting into here. That could have led to some serious complications. Thus I'd like to-"

"Can I see him?"

The motherly captain, although was cut off kind of inappropriately, still smiled at the other woman reassuringly, despite her inner doubts about the young captain's health, the despair in the blonde lieutenant's voice caught her off gaurd a little, and she could not help but allow her her desire, anything else could wait for now.

"Of course."

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 **Tell me what you think :D**


	3. Chapter 2

"Oi!"

"Renji..." He waited for the readhead to catch up to him, before continuing his journey through the seireitei again. He tried to ignore the huge, knowing grin directed at him.

"Lost again?"

He sighed. "You can say that."

"Well tenth division is in that wa-"

"And who said I'm going there?!"

"Ohoho! C'mon" The previously huge grin widened even more. "Don't be shy! We already kno-"

"There's nothing to know- ugh!" He was cut off as the other pulled him roughly into a rough headlock. _Damn pineapples getting to his nerves!_

"Renji! Let go of me, dammit!"

"Na-uh! Not until you admit to the real reason that brought you here!"

"Let go!"

"Nah!"

"Ichigo!"

Both males looked up at the call, recognizing the high pitched tone of voice they always knew. Renji declared as she ran up to them, "Hah hey Rukia! Lookie we have some strawberry today! A lovestruck on- GAH! Da hell was that for?!" The red head screamed, cluching his stomach with a pained expression on his face.

"You just fucking smothered me to death! Pineapple!"

The duo continued to squabble as the ebony haired girl snickered as lightly as she could at the remark Renji made earlier, before giving into a sigh. It was true, they knew their orange headed friend was showing very obvious signs of fondness towards a certain, icy captain of squad ten. Though, to a stranger, they weren't really that _obvious_ , actually the substitute is doing a good job at hiding it but, they were his friends, they knew Ichigo and had always known when something was up with him. The signs were minor at first, it started after the whole thing with Kusaka and everyone thought their bond had strengthened remarkably after the deal was over with. Ichigo would go and visit the captain's office from time to time, and even the latter seeming to actually accept the other into his very small group of friends and have actual conversations with him. And not only that, for the first time in a very long time, the icy captain seemed to _enjoy_ the other's presence, if Rangiku weren't just imagining things.

They didn't think anything of it at the time, not until the substitute's visits became so frequent, more than the usual.. no, more than the supposed for 'Just checking on you guys, in case any threat had befallen you.' As he put it. Not to mention a good deal of the time spent on the 'Checking up' process was in the tenth squad captain office.

Since she had realized that, she kept her thoughts to herself, but once a red head lieutenant caught up to it-

"C'mon lets go make some Strawberry Ice-cream!"

-he never let go of it.

"What about growing some Sakura Pineapple trees?! ACK! Rukia! Did you have to hit _me? He_ started all of it!"

The small girl descended gracefully to the ground after delivering hard kicks to the back of her friends' skulls, she always needed to be there to keep them grounded. She sent a death glare to silence both of them before she let out an exasperated sigh as she turned and led the way to wherever they were heading to. Both started walking silently behind her, a light blush on both faces, one mumbling about chicken strawberries that cannot take a joke. _Idiots!_ She thought; So barbaric and foolish, yet falling for very opposite characters from them. She mused, at least, if things went well for _both_ of them, each will find a person who'd balance their lives, in turn, doing the same for their partners. She smiled at the thought, happiness bubbling up in her chest at that, she was grateful that her back was to them. They may be idiots, but she loved them, all three brothers of her, Ichigo, Renji, and Byakuya. And it was true, the red head had a crush on her big brother for far too long now for it to be a simple fleeting whim. But he had never, ever gathered the courage to ever admit it to anyone, let alone confess to the other Kuchiki; and he calls Ichigo a chicken? Like he's one to talk.

She stopped as she realized she really didn't know where she was going, She turned around, "Where were you going, anyway?"

The carrot top looked reluctant and before he could open his mouth, the other male companion did, "Where do you think? To-"

"I was just going to check on Toushiro," The orange haired boy cut in, suprisng his other two companions, "And then planned to hang out with you guys, I've got the day off." He finished, looking away as he rubbed the back of his head where he was hit.

"Oh." She looked at Renji, a look of worry itching to her face and the red head noticed, furrowing his eyebrows. She gazed back at the brown eyes of her other friend, "About that,"

Another frown, from the carrot top.

"From what I've heard from Ukitake taicho, Hitsugaya taicho has fallen sick and been in the fourth since the day before."

"Then what in hell are we waiting for?!"

"This way."

And they followed.

Ichigo Kurosaki definitely knew of his feelings towards the snowy head of the tenth division, he didn't like to deny it to the others, he never plainly did anyway, he just thought of it as private matter that only he should deal with.. that and the fact that he feared any of it might reach Toushiro, he didn't want the object of his affection to know about how much the substitute soul reaper is head over heels for him, not yet.. too early.. there gotta be a perfect opportunity that'll allow him the advantage of asking the other out and he's waiting for it.

Or maybe Ichigo is just a coward. Renji was right, a _chicken_ indeed!

He might have didn't fully realize his feelings until he saw Toushiro after a year and half when he had regained his powers and reunited with his friends from the soul society, his heart practically jumped at the sight of the boy, his stomach feeling funny and his gaze lingered on him a moment longer than the necessary before Rukia had called him again and diverted his attention before he could have embarrassed himself any further with his shameless staring. He had thought the boy looked adorable with the new haircut, and with that cute scarf that mached the beautiful color of his huge teal eyes, he couldn't blame himself from not being able to tear his eyes off the gorgeous man in front of him.

After that he found himself a usual guest at the tenth division captain's office, again. Yes, _again,_ because before the winter war battle where Ichigo lost his powers, visiting his friends in the Seireitei was a routine and Toshiro was a friend whether he wanted or not, no matter how the other denied it at the beginning, eventually Ichigo had found his way to the other's small circle of friends successfully, and both boys knew that. Ichigo wanted to be more than that though, with each day spent with the boy captain, the urge to be closer to him grows and to his utmost joy and relief the captain seems to have gotten really fond of the idiot strawberry himself, every time Ichigo gets a chuckle outta him he feels his heart melts and the desire to just hug the boy and kiss him becomes too strong that it's hard to subdue at times. The thing is that it came just so naturally that Ichigo wasn't even making the effort to get the other to laugh, sometimes he chuckles at the silliest things ever, it's surprising yet so amusing how absurd but utterly cute the boy could be at times.

A smile found its way to the substitute's lips at those last thoughts, replacing the previous frown they were twisted into as he shunpoed to the fourth barracks the tenth's captain was staying at at the moment. He hoped it was just a mild case of dehydration, usually it was how the workaholic captain found his way into the fourth in such peaceful days, still it was just so frustrating how thoroughly careless the captain was about his own health, constantly forgetting about his meals and not having as much water as his body absolutely needs, especially considering that water-based zanpaktu weilders normally required consuming more amounts of water than any other soul reaper. It was either Matsumoto or him -when he was present- that would always make sure he was having his meals regularly. That's not to mention his bad sleeping habits! that's a completely another story.

"Kurosaki-san,"

The trio stopped at the soft voice of the captain of the squad they just barged in. Ichigo, who was way ahead of his two friends whirled around and went back to join them in front the open door he had just passed -where did he think he was going anyway?- while the other two had just bowed in respect for whoever that was at the other side.

"Ah, Unohana-san!"

The motherly captain acknowledged them with a nod of her own before responding, "May I talk with you for a second, please."

"Ah, sure! But could that wait for a-"

"Don't worry, Hitsugaya taicho is okay-" Of course she knew why they were - _he_ was?- here.

"-and sleeping for now. It's preferable that he's not to be disturbed; Besides, I'd liked to talk to you about him, actually." That caught his interest enough to come into the room instead of flying to said white haired captain's room, not that he knew what room that was. It's alright though, as much as he wanted to see the petite captain right away, he didn't want to disturb the other's rest. And he was ok, Unohana had assured him, she's a great doctor and he'd trust her at that.

Before the other two could leave to give them privacy the captain stopped them and asked for them to come in as well. And so the three of them found themselves seated at the comfortable couches Unohana had at her office, sipping at the tea served by the captain before seating herself at the couch opposite them.

"I'd like to ask you for a favour." She told the orange haired boy before turning her gaze to the other two soul reapers, "And I believe it may involve the two of you as well."

* * *

"A major side effect, but fortunately, the only one." A smirk of smugness adorned the freaky masked face of the twelfth division captain, seemingly proud of himself at the accomplishment he managed to achieve regarding the icy captain and some others.

"Because apparently, the others had non. The small taicho is just an exception for his, kind of unique situation. It's not my fault the kid's powers hadn't grown up, ye-" A loud "Che!" interrupted the intelligent taicho, eyes directing to the, unsurprisingly, Zaraki Kenpatchi.

"You could have just admitted that you missed up big time you freak!"

"Nandato?! For your info I've saved that kid's pity life and many others! you're all gotta be gratefu- "

"Silence!" And both did, ceasing into a staring contest instead.

A silent sigh was emitted from the only current white haired captain at the room, a crestfallen expression on his face as he was silently observing the usual interaction between the two captains as the head captain, for the millionth time silenced them up. As much as he dislikes to admit it, it was true, if it weren't for Kurotsuchi taicho... he didn't even want to continue that thought. After the whole Quincy war, he had learned of what had happened to his fellow shiro, his lieutenant and many others. ' _Zombified'_ they had told him, he felt himself shuddering at the thought, and was actually saved by the one and only Kurotsuchi Mayuri, and the small taicho was even well enough to continue the battle. He must admit, that was impressive, and he's beyond grateful for the man; but he prefers to keep that thought to himself. After all everyone knew that the least liked captain of the whole seireitei was actually really good with what he does, and that was what matters regardless of the captain's ethical issues.

"Unohana taicho, please explain the situation." His focus was instantly back to the current situation.

"Hai." She stepped out the line before continuing, all eyes on her now, "Hitsugaya taicho's condition is unique in its nature, as Kurotsuchi taicho stated, Something that was supposed to be taking decades to mature fully is acutely taking place now, in a very short notice of time for the soul to handle. Thus... Hitsugaya taicho's soul body is showing multiple symptoms due to the unexpected spurt of growth his powers is going through; some I've expected and had prepared for, some I did not. We believe that the process to reverse the zombification had lead to this, there's no solid proof but it was all we could think of. "

"What are those symptoms then? Unohana taicho." Soi-Fon asked, always the impatient one.

Nodding at her, the medical captain continued, "He'd showed signs of losing control over his reiatsu, I've sensed it first when he came to the fourth, although minor, but it was there. Now, though, he has little to nothing of said control, I suspect he even could perform a simple kidou spell. I've already taken some temporal measures to prevent anything from happening, put him in a room with riatsu depressing abilities and had a couple of my seated officers to gaurd, along with Matsumoto fukutaicho. But, the thing is.. " She paused a little, a look of concern taking over her delicate features.

"His reiatsu by no means was little, it never was, but now the increase in it is ridiculously massive. At the current rate it's taking to grow, if it did not hurt those around him, it's going to be hurting himself first."

She looked around for the other captains' reactions, some were impassive as usual, some not interested -or pretending-, some sympathetic, some concerned, but other overly concerned and worried and a certain long white haird captain was the exact example.

"Very well, any suggestions?" The Captain Commander inquired, face void of any remarkable expressional changes.

A smirk was returned to a certain twelfth division captain.

"Yes, I've discussed the matter with captain kurotsuchi before requesting this meeting, we've got it all arranged already and we'd like to have your opinions, and get some permissions before proceeding. apparently, Kurotsuchi taicho had developed some kind of a collar that was modified to not only suppress the spiritual pressure, but it can prevent it from doing any physical damage the growth spurt of energy could append to the body. Thus, Hitsugaya's taicho's powers could continue growing safely in slower pattern."

A relieved smile followed the statement.

"However-"

But fell as fast.

"-I cannot guarantee that it'll do any effect to the mental disorders the captain may show." She looked sympathetically to the only white haired captain currently occupying the hall room, flashing an apologetic smile to him before proceeding, "Besides, the modified collar could only work properly when placed in a gigai. Consequently, Hitsugaya taicho should be sent down to the World of The Living during his current state until his powers are fully matured. Or at least until an alternative solution was found."

"But he can't be sent alone! Unohana taicho.."

Everyone in the room looked back to the end of the left captains' line, where the thirteenth division captain was stepping out, worry evident all over his face.

Unohana taicho sent him a reassuring smile, "Of course not."

* * *

Three sets of eyes stared at her in disbelief,

"Nee-sama?!"

"Taicho?!"

Unohana smiled, "Yes, actually Kuchiki taicho was the first to offer, given that his lieutenant is one of the most people that could work sufficiently with the substitute Shinigami, and even had not objected when Ukitake taicho offered to send his own lieutenant as well."

"Ukitake taicho..." The ebony-haired girl smiled softly at her captain's antics, sure Renji would have been enough, but he must have known how the trio worked and so he didn't want to separate her from her two friends. Besides, everyone knew of the thirteenth division captain's affection towards his fellow 'Shiro-chan', he may never really declared that aloud to anyone, but actions speak louder, all knew that Ukitake sees the other as his own son, even if the latter was old enough to take care of himself -and he knew it-, but he would never stop caring and worrying about him, just like a parent would. And so it was another reason to send his her to help aid the ill captain, he trusted her and her ability to do so more than anything.

"Honestly, Hitsugaya taicho's condition is the first of its like in soul society, or so I believe."

"Which means?!" Ichigo had asked, having passed over the initial shock about everything that had been said till now, and aside from Byakuya's unusual kindness, he couldn't really fathom what the hell is wrong with Toushiro, although his worry had quelled with the reassurance Unohana had offered during her explanation about the high possibility of success of this collar thing they've made; Toushiro will be safe, and of all people _He_ will be the one keeping an eye on him, he had promised himself to protect the other with all costs the moment he knew that Toushiro is moving with him and despite everything, he could not stop the happiness that had swelled inside his chest at the thought, Toushiro's moving with him, they're staying at the same house.. Sleeping under the same roof...

"Meaning..-" The motherly taicho sighed. "I've never encountered such a situation before, although I could give a guess to what the symptoms would be like, nothing major though, but I can guarantee nothing."

"So you're saying _I_ have to find out about those, the hard way?"

"I'm sorry to say that, but yes, you have to. And I'd like to get weekly reports about any unusual behavior Hitsugaya taicho shows, please. Think You could do it?" A sigh, from the carrot-top this time. Although he was really ecstatic about the small captain coming with him home, he had really wished it was under better circumstances and that the fact the boy is sick is still worrying him. "Of course. You can count on me, I promise I'll take good care of Toushiro." She gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Gomen, Kurosaki-kun. We wouldn't have bothered you about it if we had anything to do about it here. It's the only solution."

"Yeah yeah, it's ok. I understand. Thank you for your time, Unohana-san! I gotta leave now."

He already waved her goodbye and left before she even got the chance to wish him good luck, or better yet give him the room number the tenth captain was staying in currently, luckily for him he had a smart friend who had asked for the lil info before following her idiot of a dear friend.

* * *

I'm here.. Lil one.

...Hyourinmaru?

Open your eyes.

And he did.

"..."

"..."

"Thank you, Hyorinmaru"

Darkness was the next thing he knew.

* * *

Eyelids opened, revealing those hidden teal orbs for few seconds before blinking rapidly and opening fully. It registered to him that he was lying on soft, comfortable cushions with white light sheets covering his body, but soon realized it wasn't his own bed. _Where am I?_ He had thought. He gazed around, white ceiling, green walls.. ah,

"The fourth..." He whispered to no one in particular, voice heavy after sleep.

He sighed, his eyes lingering on the huge opened window on his left side. It wasn't the first time that he woke up not knowing when he was brought into - usually - his own bed, or why and who did it, until a frustrated Matsumoto -Or an annoying Kurosaki, it happened once - came to fuss about how careless he's been about his own health. But what happened this time and why the fourth? It was a bit vague; He couldn't remember what had brought him here, last thing he remembered was him trying to complete his paperwork late at night and...

 ** _'She could've - ! '_**

His eyes went wide as memories started flooding into his tired brain; scars. pain. sleep. fatigue. more pain. heat. fire. screams and agony and then finally, relief.

He took a deep breath in as the memories rushed in. closing his eyes again trying to compose himself as unwanted feelings accompanied them. He was too tired to understand any of it, or to try to figure out if they were reality or just dreams, he could have been hallucinating for all he knew.. but then how could Hyourinmaru be involved if it was all in his head, and do what he did...

"Taicho?"

A familiar voice cut in just as he wanted to slip into his inner world, he turned his head towards the source away from the window,

"Matsumoto?" Of course.

"Hey.." She smiled, she was sitting at one of the visitor chairs at his right, to think he couldn't sense her presence till this moment..

"How are you feeling? We were really worried about you." She inquired.

"I'm okay," Pausing to clear his throat. "I guess. What happened?"

"Ah, you may be confused as to why you're waking up here after sleeping in your own bed last night, huh?" Her smile widened reassuringly, and he couldn't help but feel a bit lighter at the heart, despite the horrible feeling of confusion he felt earlier upon waking up.

She proceeded in explaining how she couldn't find him in the office, meeting Ukitake at the way to his quarters hurrying off with the latter to find the young captain asleep on his bed, "But you wouldn't respond" She said, smile falling. "You looked more in a coma than asleep, you were barely breathing so we just took you to the fourth."

She explained to him whatever she fathomed of Unohana's earlier explanations. She reached out to his right hand at his side, clutching it in a firm but comforting grip. "You gotta take it easy from now on. I ain't gonna allow you to stress like that again, even if I had to drag you out your office myself. Understood?" She said with a stern face. One of a concerned friend. Of a mother or a big sister. She couldn't care less about the Captain/lieutenant formalities right now, not that she ever did, anyway.

And neither did he at such situations. As much as he hated to worry her, It's always warmed his heart knowing that whatever happened to him, or whatever he did, someone will always be there for him, staying beside him and supporting him, not allowing anyone or anything in the world to hurt him, protecting him with the best of her abilities. Just as he does to her. They're like real family to each other, and that thought made him feel safe. He isn't going to admit that aloud anytime soon though, she knew that, just as much as he knew it. In the end both of them had lost many precious things in their lives, precious people were gone, some left them by their own free will, and some had turned against them; both knew what it meant to lose something, and if anything, it had taught them to stick together even more.

So he just nodded, he thought he'd need the rest, anyway. Especially after last night's.. phenomenons.

"So Ukitake was here, you said?"

Her smile was back in an instant. "Yes! He was, but he left an hour ago.. He was really worried about you, he stayed for as long as you were here until Unohana taicho came and demanded he go get rest." _Typical of the long haired captain_ , he sighed with a somewhat amused smile gracing his lips, he's already used to the other white head fussing over him as he was a child, _his_ child probably; and were he to wake up in the other captain's presence, he knew he isn't going to hear the end of it. He loved the man really, but sometimes he was a bit of handful.

"OH! and guess who else was here?!" He turned his attention back to her at the loud exclamation, an annoyed frown creasing his eyebrows,

"Who?"

"Aren't you going to guess?" Her face fell as he just gave her a deadpan look, causing her to pout at him,

"It was Ichigo, silly! Rukia and Renji were with him too. Seriously you could have guessed that with no trouble."

And she was right, he shouldn't even be the tiniest bit surprised but he was, his eyes widened a little as warmth filled him at the words he heard. Did he really think the idiot strawberry will just quit visiting him all of a sudden, even if he was unconscious? Or maybe he was surprised that the two lieutenants had actually bothered to come and see him along with their friend? Nevertheless; a tiny, barely visible smile was on his lips, before it fell as he realized something,

"And how long was that?" He asked, fatigue still visible on his face. Still he pushed his arms against the bed to raise himself into a sitting position.

"Oh, um.. we brought you here at noon so, let's see..." She trailed of, raising her forefinger to her lower lip as she counted the hours, "Ah! ten hours now!"

He almost fell off the bed, "...What?" He whispered, voice shaky and breathless. So he was practically sleeping, _resting_ for a whole freaking day! He regained his composure, shook his hand off the grip she still had on his hand, and slid his legs off the bed to get up, but Rangiku would have none of it, she instantly shot up from her seat, and had her hands on his shoulder to restrain him,

"Whoa whoa whoa! And where do you think you're going to?"

"I think I've already had the rest mentioned earlier- "

"You better stay put! Hitsugaya Toushiro!" She cut him off with a sharp voice, her bubbly demeanor gone as her hold into him tightened, "It's too late anyway! Working hours were already over long ago! Gods, Did you even see your face! Should I bring you a mirror or something?! You look like you're going to pass out any minute now!"

He didn't look so convinced though, She rolled her eyes, exhaling her frustration at her workaholic captain. She wasn't surprised indeed, she'd be if he actually obeyed without her having to knock some sense into him, or knock him out if she absolutely had to.

"Listen; your third, fourth seats and I are taking care of the paperwork. You'll find none other than the ones that require captain's attention by the time you're good enough to go back to work." She let out another tired sigh at the skeptical look he gave her, "I promise. There, happy?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, as to appear suspectable. She may be a lazy, procrastinating person at times.. Well most the time; But he knew when to trust her. He sighed in defeat and just laid back down, sleep already taking over his mind when he realized how tired he truely was.

She sat back down at her previous seat beside the bed as she watched him drifting back to sleep. She waited until she made sure he has fallen deep into his slumber before retiring into the back couch by the window, turning the faint lights off in her way before throwing herself at the comfort looking cushions, tucking herself in the extra blankets she was provided with as she too drifted to peaceful sleep.

* * *

 **I hope you understood the sequence of events well?!.. It's my first proper multi-chap story, English is not my mother tounge but I hope that wasn't so terribly obvious. D:**


	4. Chapter 3

He was shivering.

He realized, just as he felt himself being pulled out of the peaceful, dreamless slumber he was so deeply immersed in. His body was trembling uncontrollably and his own ragged, shivery breathing could be heard as frosty air passed through his throat into his lungs. _Frosty_. He couldn't bear to open his eyes yet, he wanted to but the lids shielding them felt so heavy as sleep still had its vicious grip on his tired mind that if he wasn't feeling this.. this utterly _cold,_ he could've slumped back easily to sleep again, but he couldn't. He rarely ever felt this bone chillingly cold. Not that he never felt cold before, contrary to popular belief, he does sometimes when the weather gets real chilly, he's human after all; but being the icy warrior he is, he has higher endurance to it than any other being; an ability Ice zanpaktus' wielders were blessed with.

But something was wrong with this cold, that much he could tell. Something about the aura around him felt off, yet so familiar. The blankets over him, the bed he was on, something about them too wasn't right; flexing his fingers, which were just over the sheets, only seemed to prove it as his finger tips slid along a.. a sleek surface...? So sleek and cold, numbing the nerve endings on the tips of his fingers.. his entire body, as he was sleeping on a bed made of ice. Somehing definitely was wrong around him; or rather, something definitely was wrong with _him._

Suddenly he was remainded of the event- no, dream; he corrected himself, that he had before getting in the fourth, he wondered what's he going to see this time once he opened his eyes?.. if he was really dreaming, that is. Slowly, and with a great effort he finally managed to lift his eyelids, just halfway through before blinking rapidly and lifting his trembling fists to rub on his eyes furiously before he deemed them ready to stay open. But there was nothing out of place. At least not with the ceiling, and not if you didn't count that he could see the air condensing in front of him with each exhaled breath. He didn't know what to expect, really, but the relief was short lived as he just turned his head to the side and got a glimpse of the icy exterior of the sheets he was lying on. an almost transparent ice that oozed riatsu, a very familiar one, that he has touched many, many times before, and one that he almost killed his granny with... He knew that ice by heart.

His hazy mind cleared rapidly, as he realized; He may had felt cold before, but never by his own ice. He was completely immune to it, Hyournimaru always made sure of that, his zampaktu had always prorect him from his own power.

With that thought in mind he sat up and gazed around frantically, he was still in the fourth, his bed was completely frozen over, the ground had bits of ice but there was melted ice on it as well, making it wet and slippery. It seemed the most solid ice was only around him and at the areas near him, but he could feel the freezing air was all around the room. In his frantic examination of the room, he located a couch at the far end of the bed, placed near the window, that gave a faint illumination to a bundle of black and white that was sprawled on it. His breath hitched once he realized that bundle was actually of a figure he knew too well.

He didn't need to see the blonde hair to know who it was. Whatever calm that he tried desperately to cling to had vanished in mere seconds.

He jumped of the bed, a mistake that led him to slip on the wet ground and fall face first to the the cold floor, his numb legs weren't helping either, he was lying on a bed of rigid ice after all. His protective instincts kicked in though, as he lefted his head and used his hands to crawl over the melted ice, that helped to some degree; _He had to get to her!_ His mind screamed at him, he couldn't shake the bad feeling wrenching at his gut once he realized how he so easily lost complete control of his own power, letting it flood around while he slept! He never forgot what had happened last time he had lost it, back when he was a little, inexperienced kid.. a _weak_ kid compared to him now, if back then he almost killed someone, _now_ would...

He shook his head as he continued dragging himself to the couch, "Rangiku!" he yelled.

No response. He tried again, and again, and again. Calling to her desperately with his weakened, shivering voice, but to no avail.

"Wake up, dammit!" _Don't you dare die on me!_

"Ran.." _Please!_

Desperate seeped into his chest, numbing his body even further if it could, his arms giving up on him, his head hitting the floor with his face facing the couch he was trying to reach... it's not like he had anything to do even if he did reach, did he? what could he do? ... He just wanted to make sure she did not leave him.

He stared at her face, so pale, her usual bright hair is too wan, frost clinging to the ends of her bangs and eyelashes, lips blue... she looked too, too... dead. "Don't you.." He whispered, but trailed off, unable to say it in fear it comes real.

It couldn't be.. couldn't be! It must be another dream, it must.. it must...

He was giving up to the numbness that travelled to his head as he stared at his lieutenant face, he was slowly, bit by bit, giving to the darkness that started surrounding his vision.

The last thing he recalls before leaving conscious was the feel of being lifted to the air.

* * *

"...- now- ... He can't -"

"... the best- ..."

"But-. ... at least- !... "

He walk up to the sound of quiet whispers. He could only make out a few words but his mind was still hazy with sleep, and he couldn't quite understand what were they whispering about, or who were they for that matter, although through his hazy state he knew the voices sounded familiar to him.

"... were hurt..."

Hurt? Who's been hurt?!... Someone's been hurt. He didn't know why that thought had mattered the most, but it did. Someone's been hurt,

Someone dear to him,

Someone he swore to protect...

Hurt, by him.

"RANGIKU! "

immediately strong hands were on him as he shot up out of bed, holding his shoulders tightly, restraining him to it as his gaze shifted frantically in search for her, there were people in the room but his frantic mind refused to recognize any of them until he found her, he needed to know she was okay and that was his top priority. Someone was calling his name repeatedly but he paid it no mind, and as his now horrified eyes continued searching for what they needed to see most, the strong hands on his shoulder moved up his face to hold his head in place, his own hands instantly coming up to grasp at the sleeves of the larger man.

The first thing that met him was orange, but it wasn't hers.

"TOUSHIRO!"

And as his gaze focused, he saw brown eyes pouring into him. _Kurosaki.._

"Get a grip on yourself, Toushiro!"

"Wheh- Where is she?! "

"Rangiku is okay! You are okay! Everything is alright calm down now, ok?! "

And those words he believed, letting out a deep, shivery breath he didn't know he was holding until this very moment. He allowed his hands to drop into his lap as the sudden spurt of energy left him at once, leaving him feeling tired and boneless. _It's okay, she's okay._

Nonetheless, his question was not answered, yet. "Where is she?" he repeated tiredly, sounding calmer and more steady this time.

"Matsumoto fukutaicho is resting in another room. Do not worry, we're taking good care of her."

He turned his gaze to the new voice to Ichigo's side, "Unohana taicho.. "

"I'll let you see her before you depart-" _Depart? Was he going anywhere.._ "But for now, there's some things we need to discuss with you about your condition, I'm sure you're curious about the things that've been happening lately? "

And curious he was, he noded his head slightly as he allowed his body to relax, Kurosaki had already removed his hands from his face but left one hand lingering at his cheeks; the younger looking boy turned his gaze to those warm brown eyes as the other started stroking his cheek with his thumb a little, then taking a strand of hair away from his left eye, tucking it behind his ear before retracting his hand. It was the first time the other had actually touched him like that, and he really didn't know how to react to it, and so he just lowered his gaze to his lap as the heat from those big hands still lingered on his face where the other touched him. It didn't feel awkward or anything and the orange headed male was smiling at him warmly and so naturally as he had done it million times before.

To his surprise -or not- the gesture comforted him greatly. And he let out a comfortable sigh as he lowered his body to the pillows Unohana had arranged behind him.

If he was blushing, no one made a comment at it. Instead the occupants of the room took the seats beside the bed as Unohana instantly started telling him about the captain meeting they've had after the first incidence, were he was found unconscious in his quarters, what her thoughts were about the case, and what was intended to be done and how and why Ichigo was involved in all this. He lifted his hand to touch the black collar he found clinging to his neck, it surprised him as he didn't notice it until Unohana had mentioned it and pointed it out for him, it was so light even now he was conscious of its presence, he could barely feel it.

"I'm so sorry, Hitsugaya taicho. I should have insisted you to be departed to the Living World just as soon as the collar was ready." She paused, an unusual look of guilt appearing on the ever smiling face of the medical department captain.

"I don't understand, Unohana taicho.. I've already had the collar on, then why... " He trailed off, his concerned gaze meeting hers, before she closed her eyes gently and smiled,

"I think it's time that you go see Rangiku-san, before getting ready for your little journey, eh? "

A twich of a white eyebrow. But he nodded his head anyway, he knew he wasn't going to get anything else from her; after all she either didn't want to tell him, or simply did not know. He turned his gaze to the other occupant of the room, the orange headed boy was unusually silent throughout it all, and now that he had his attention back to him he looked deep in thought, eyebrows furrowed as he kept staring at nothing in particular. As Toushiro moved to get out if bed - _he'd had enough rest!_ \- the movement seemed to snap the other out of whatever he was thinking, as his head shot towards the boy on the bed,

"Ah, is it time to go already?"

 _Idiot._ He thought, a smile threatening to quirk the corners of his lips. "Yeah."

"ehh.. Shouldn't I carry you or something, then? "

This caused the boyish captain to snap, whatever smile he was trying to suppress was -thankfully- gone, "I'm perfectly capable of walking myself!" Like he was going to let him piggyback him or something?! ..In front of an another captain?!

And to prove it he instantly jumped out of bed, landing gracefully on his two feet before sending a look to the unconvinced male that had clearly said 'see?'

The strawberry shrugged his shoulders in response before the three of them started heading towards the room the orange blonde woman was being kept in. Now that they were going to see her, he realized how desperate he was to see that she was okay with his own eyes; The last image of her in his memory was a picture of a frozen, dead woman; One that he was the reason to put in such a shape. He shuddered at the memory, he wanted to get that picture out of his head instantly.

The shudder didn't go unnoticed though, as he felt a big, warm hand landing oh his right shoulder, he gazed at hand before looking up to his left to the smiling face of Ichigo, he stared at him as the other mothed a 'It's going to be okay.' before he lolled his head back around to the ground, sighing softly as the hammering of his heart started to quell; he didn't realize just how nervous, yet impatient he was until that hand touched for the second time that day. He allowed the hand on his shoulder to stay there as they reached the door, Unohana was ahead of them, opening the door to allow them passage as she stepped aside, the hand squeezed his shoulder one last time before going back to its owner.

"Hey.. " The woman inside called as the door opened and a hesitant Toushiro padded into the room, followed closely by Unohana and Ichigo. She didn't miss the withdrawn hand of a certain orange head from the young captain's shoulder as soon as they entered the room.

The two though had decided to stay by the door, observing as the boy made his way slowly to where she sat on a white bed. His gaze was on hers all the way to the side of the bed, and although hr kept his face expressionless, she could easily see everything through his eyes; There was guilt, a bit of fear but mostly the relief that had overlay all. He stood by her bed as he reached it, before looking away and lowering his eyes to his own bare feet, "I'm glad you're ok... I- ..."

She smiled as he mumbled these words, watching him as he struggled to find the proper words to continue, fidgeting with the sides if his white hospital robes whilst chewing on his lower lip. He was feeling awkward at the moment, always been whwn it came to talking about his own feels and emotions,

"I-..." He trailed off again, before taking a deep breath and releasing it in a heavy sigh. He tried again, opening his mouth but before he could utter a word a hand had infiltrated his field of vision and his head snapped up to her face again, widened teal eyes meeting an amused baby blue ones, suddenly a smile of his own had been threatening to quirk the corners of his lips, yielding into it soon enough as she pouted that silly, childish pout of hers that had always had him rolling his eyes in absolute exasperation, yet the smile on his own face ruined the desired effect as he rolled his eyes this time. Taking the offered hand into his, he relished in the comfort he felt as Rangiku squeezed his smaller hand reassuringly, before pulling it from her grasp and sitting at the chair provided by the bed.

Hitsugaya Toushiro may not look like it, and it may surprise many but he likes it when his hand is held, or when he's hugged or touched by the people he loves and find comfort in -which are very few- it makes him feel safe and relaxed, warmed and loved... But he isn't going to admit that loudly to _anyone_ even if his life depended on it. He's already trying to hide it as it was, and as best as he could. Although he can't help it when he's being caught if gaurd, as what happened earlier that day when Kurosaki had touched his face and he just kept staring dumbly at the other, or when the same orange headed boy put his hand on his shoulder comfortingly, he couldn't have the heart to shrug off the nice gesture... Or maybe he needed it so much to do so. He didn't know why it was Kurosaki of all people that he always found the need to convince himself with a sorry reason of why he allowed him to touch; Granny and Rangiku he had allowed too -and once upon a time, Momo- but they've been with him for as long as he could remember, and that didn't happen on daily basis anyway, and soon he'd find himself a little embarrassed so he'd pull from their grasp as he just did with Ran now, it's okay though they knew that about him, but he didn't know why he couldn't do the same with Kurosaki...

Heat started rising up to his cheeks but soon shooked his head off wildly as he remembered the situation he's in now, it's not time for such thoughts, he'd had almost killed Rangiku just yesterday, and he's going to leave the soul society in a few hours because something was freaking wrong with him, yet here he was thinking about the other man that had offered to help them inappropriately? He frowned at the thought.

"How are you now, Rangiku-san?" Both turned their heads at the other male in the room, approaching them with the female captain in tow, a smile in both their faces.

"I'm alright!" She beamed, "Unohana taicho said that I'll be discharged and be back to work by tomorrow! Not that I'm missing paperwork or something like that.. " She sighed heavily, her gaze shifting to her captain, who has been silent and staring off at nothing at particular with a frown on his face, she knew that look, he was brooding. She reached out and punched him in the arm, successfully snapping him out of it, "And you better not take long! It ain't no fair that you'll be having fun in the world of the living while I'm here, dealing with boring, booring paperwork y'know!"

She hoped to get a reaction out of him, and it worked as he huffed, scowling at her, "Don't give me that, lieutenant! You know as well as I do that you owe me throughout all those years I've kept doing in your behalf, you're only going to do what was required in your duties all along."

"Taichoooo! Don't be mean now!" She whined, genuinely distressed by the young captain's words.

Shaking his head with a scoff, he answered, "I'm only stating facts. Besides, I know that most of the work will be thrown into the hands if the other seated officers, if not sent to me in the World of the Living."

"Ohh, taicho, I think that was really such a good idea."

"Matsumoto!"

It was always fun watching the two bickering away, they did it quite often and it never ceased to amuse the substitute shinigami teen, observing silently as the bickers went back and fourth before Unohana beside him stood up, gaining the attention of everyone in the room as she spoke, remnants of amusement still itched to her elegant face, "As much as I hate to ruin the fun, I think it's time that Hitsugaya-taicho and Kurosaki-san leave to the world of the living," The light mood had been ruined indeed, as the white haired captain's expressiones fell as he realized, it's not over yet, actually it had just started and he's going to leave the seireitei for as long as it needs for him to adjust with the rapid changes in his powers, and for his almost nonexistent control over them to come back.

Sounds simple enough.. Though no one really knows how long that might be. Not to mention that Unohana had warned about some disturbing 'things' that even if not physically harmful, it could bother him greatly. She could only guess, but amongst the things she had guessed were hallucinations, how serious they were, she didn't know. His mind wandered back to the one incident he was positive that it was not a mere dream; the scarred man at his office, he saw him, he heard him, he was actually talking to him, it all seemed as real as anything, yet the man had appeared out if nowhere just as he disappeared to thin air in the same pattern. He thought that _that_ was an illusion, though he didn't know if he could talk to him, interact with him or if he could be touched or grabbed. The burned man though.. he must have been a nightmare, that Unohana had mentioned too, Hyourinmaru had managed to put the fire off, and then the man had turned into dust. The Zanpaktu was a part of the soul thus he only knew what his master knew, though he had thought that maybe his mind had desperately wanted that to happen, so it happened.

Toushiro stood up, followed by Ichigo before both bid goodbyes to the two women as they headed towards the door, Unohana had offered to accompany them to the Senkaimon gate, but Toushiro refused politely stating that he'd need to pass by his quarters first to get changed before he departed, the Substitute Shinigami will be with him so there's no need for another 'gaurd'. Rangiku had yelled her goodbyes and kisses with a promise to visit, and she'll take a very _very_ good care of the division through his absence. He winced at that, if anything her promise had him worried more than assured, he didn't want to think of what the state of the squad would be like once he cane back... He shuddered, it really wasn't the time ro think about that, he had more important things to focus on... an image of naked, drunk men in his office flashed through his mind and he shook his head feverishly, really not the time.

He scoffed as he heard an "Take care of taicho for me Ichigo!" before they were out if earshot, walking side by side through the corridors. If it were at different circumstances, if he didn't endanger the lives of people around him by his mere presence in the soul society, he would've argued a little bit more, acted stubborn a little bit more, but he couldn't and that actually came as auprise to no one. He'd do anything and everything in his willpower to not hurt those dearest to him, he was determined and of that he vowed. He had already done it once, twice, and then done it again again and he's sick of it.

He looked up at the taller figure walking beside him, despite the grim thoughts he had been thinking, and through the utter exhaustion that started to catch up to him, he couldn't help but let out a small smile as he watched a similar determination shining on those brown eyes, probably making his own vows as well in that idiot head of his.


	5. Chapter 4

The Senkaimon opened in a some abandoned alley as two Shinigamis stepped out from it, it was evening by the time they left the fourth and the weather was a little chilly, Ichigo shuddered as the cold swept through his thick black uniform and he looked at the other as he suppressed a small shudder of his own, a little too chilly if the ice prince was bothered by it, and he only had a light, white yukata on to protect him from the harsh cold. The orange headed boy frowned at that before he lead them out into the main road, gazing around as he took in their surroundings,

"That's good; it's just near my apartment, gotta be around ten minutes walk from here, but quite far from Urahara's. So what you wanna do?" Ichigo's gaze turned back around to the shorter male as he asked this, intently studying his facial expressions as the other kept his tired eyes straight ahead before mumbling,

"Urahara's."

"Toushiro-"

"Hitsugaya taicho."

"- it may take us half an hour to reach there on foot, and you know that Unohana instructed that shunpo is absolutely off limits for you, so unless you want me to carry you- "

"Go home, Kurosaki. I'll go grap my gigai from Urahara's then follow you after."

Ichigo sighed, like hell he was going to allow that, his plan was to get the other to his apartment to rest while he quickly shunpoed back and fourth to Urahara's to get the gigai for the other himself. He wasn't sure if the boy was aware of how tired he looked since they've left Rangiku's, his eyes weren't fully opened and his shoulders were slouched; he was still clearly fatigued, apparently all the exhaustion he must have felt came back to him after he had made sure his lieutenant was ok. So even if Unohana hadn't told him to get the other to rest just as soon as they got here, he was going to do just that whether the other liked it or not. She had already told the substitute about the power leak that had happened the day before and actually was surprised that the the young captain had awakened in such a short period of time after the incident, just before he awoke she had wanted for Ichigo to take him unconscious to the world of the living in fear something unexpected happened again. The gigai has always been something substantial for the Shinigami to use for a variety of reasons, one of it was for the soul to harbour to help them through sickness, and this case was no different, it's actually believed that it will be able to prevent any similar conditions from happening and that Toushiro and those around him will be safe from the rapidly growing powers of the captain.

"C'mon." The taller male called, walking down the road as the other shorter one followed. He remembered what Unohana had told him about the captain's inability to sense to riatsu properly, thus couldn't possibly know if they were heading towards Urahara's or not, with the latter being so hard to detect as it is, and Ichigo will be taking advantage of that... even if it made him feel a little bit bad. He sighed as he looked sideways to the tired figure beside him, he loved the boy, just as much as he knew how much stubborn -and dumb- he could really be at times, and the strawberry had no other 'quick' solutions but using such methods. It was, after all, for Toushiro's own sake.

Ten minutes passed in silence as the two reached a rather big building, stopping before it as Toushiro turned questioning eyes him,

"Let's get inside, then you can sleep as I go and bring you your gigai." He braced himself as he said this, watching as the other's droopy eyes widened slowly as he took in his words, before his lips twisted angrily as he glowered hard at him,

"Kurosaki, I think I've said- "

"I know what you said- "

"No you don't!" He snapped loudly, shutting the taller boy's mouth instantly in surprise, a frown deepening his eyebrows as the yelling continued,

"I'm not a child, Kurosaki! I know exactly what I want to do and where I want to go! You can't just trick me into thinking something while you've already decided for me just the exact opposite! Don't you think you know what's bes- !" The yelling ceased abruptly and teal eyes were bugged out in shock as two palms slapped at both his cheeks, squeezing them together before pulling at them a bit roughly as the owner of said hands got his face down right in front if his,

"Toushiro!" Ichigo screamed back, "Calm down and hear me out, will you?! I thought you were too tired to walk all the way to Urahara's and back here in foot, especially not with the way you chose to cloth today, and we're in soul form so we can't exactly take a taxi or something you know?!" The strawberry sighed as he quit the abuse on the boy's cheeks -the other probably too shocked to slap them away himself- cupping them lightly instead as Toushiro continued to stare at him wide eyed, mouth slightly jarred open, whilst Ichigo continued in a softer tone if voice, "It's no big deal, ok? I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier but I knew we'll end up arguing, a waste of time don't you think." He gave another sighe as he straightened up, unwillingly removing his hands from the soft skin as he gestured towards the stairs of the building that led to the third floor apartments, "We're here now, so let's just get in alright?"

Toushiro's eyes sparkled in what he thought was, guilt? And there was embarrassment as his cheeks flushed a little before he lowered his head and gave a slight nod. With a pleased smile the orange head lead the way upstairs to his apartment door, then he realized that he wasn't in his material body and the keys weren't on him, "Oops! Gotta go through the window and open the door, wait for me here ok?" He jumped at the rail but before he departed he looked at the still lowered head of his white haired companion, seemingly making an effort to not meet the other's eyes as the large fringe of white hair covered parts of his left eye, so he really is feeling bad for his rather aggressive behavior a few moments ago, "And Toushiro it really is alright, even I become so grumpy when stressed out that I snap at literally everyone, even my poor little sisters had regrettably witnessed it, so really no hard feelings, don't dwell on it much!" With that he threw one last bright smile as he caught a glimpse of teal before jumping away.

The white haired boy waited patiently before he heard a click and the door before him opened, he looked up to that same smile before giving a very small, barely noticeable smile of his own before lowering his head back and entertaining at the gestured him to do so, warmth welcoming him as he stepped inside.

"You can keep your sandals on if you wanted." But he slipped them off anyway as Ichigo did so too, putting them neatly in a small shoe cupboard at the left, before walking down the small hallway that led to Ichigo's apartment.

To his surprise, the apartment looked quite.. Nice. He didn't know what to expect, but it looked rather warm and welcoming, so neat and clean too; Light brown and cream seemed to be the overall colors, directly to his right after the small hallway was an open kitchen with only a wide counter with barstools separating it from the living room, the living room itself had black couches with brown and creamy pillows, directing towards a medium sized slim TV that was stationed to the left wall from the hallway they've just walked out from. Brown, woody-looking tiles covered the flooring with light creamy walls. Behind the couches - and directly on the wall opposite the TV- were a glass sliding doors that led to a rather medium sized balcony, the view immediately captured Toushiro's heart as the sun bathed the sky with layers of orange as it started to set.

"I knew you'd like the view from here," The boy startled as he looked back to the grinning face of the other, apparently he's been to mesmerized with the view that he didn't even notice he had moved closer to the sliding doors,

"Here," Ichigo followed him to the doors and removed the rest of the light creamy curtains that had covered part of it, allowing more of the breath taking sight for Toushiro's eyes to take in. "I've actually planned to put some chairs out there, got busy furnishing the rest of the place but I'm getting to it eventually."

The strawberry then walked back towards the door that led outside, "See that door? That's the bedroom, you can sleep on my bed for now until I lay out the futons later alright? Now I'll go to get the gigai, I'll be back in a few minutes." And with that the boy flew out the room, leaving the other by his own to explore the rest of the place.

The sun was disappearing below the horizon, and the white haired captain -with a bit if difficulty- tore his eyes to the door Ichigo had pointed into, it was located on the wall opposite the kitchen and he walked towards it, there was another door a little further away from it that he thought probably lead to the bathroom. Upon seeing the luxurious looking apartment he was quite curious about what the orange headed Shinigami's bedroom looked like.. And if he's being honest with himself he actually wanted to learn about some small details about the other, as if he made up his bed every morning? or if he was the kind of guy to throw clothes around whilst getting dressed? and so he opened the door, the lights were off but as he stepped inside, a soft feeling met his bare feet, he reached to his right where he thought the light switches were, turning them on once he found them. He jumped a little at the sight of Ichigo's material body on the floor, an eerie feeling creeping into him at the memory of the last time he saw a body lying on the floor in front of him.. He shook his head as he breathed in and out to calm his suddenly racing heart before he took on the contents of the room; It was large, and much like the rest of the apartment, it was neat, the bed was made perfectly and everything was in its rightful place, well aside from a couple of shirts thrown carelessly on the bed that is. The whole floor was carpeted with a soft brown material, a huge bed, not quite king sized but big enough to turn and toss on it all you wanted, was pushed up against the furthest corner of the room, two windows one at the wall by the bed, much like his old room at his father's house, the other smaller one just in front the study desk, a nightstand separating it from the bed. A huge in-wall shelves half filled with heavy looking books at the other corner besides the desk. A dresser was just to his right as he entered the room, and at the wall facing the end of the bed was a huge closet.

Creamy walls and curtains, but the windows had a layer of blackout blinds, that Toushiro had immediately rolled up to stare at the beautiful view from behind the windows. He's always adored sitting at high areas, and he was so grateful for the perfect place Kurosaki chose to reside in. A sincere huge grin adorned his face as he climbed into the bed to set and stare out the window for as long as he wanted, the window by the bed had a wide space that he could seat himself in alright, but he just folded his arms on it as his legs were folded under him, the bed was to comfortable to move away from.

Soon his head followed his arms, resting his cheek on them as he kept his eyes out the window, before they started to droop gradually and before he knew it, he was already drifted to sleep.

Orange. The whole sky was orange. He loved orange, if anyone asked what his favorite color was, he'd say orange.

The sun looked the deepest color of orange, spreading the marvelous color all around it, there was touches of violet and yellow as well, but they were too faint and insignificant compared to the the bold and vivid orange. The glowing color reflected on the scattered clouds nearest the sun, huge ones blocking the light and creating dark cottons behind them. Dark shadows were casting on the many buildings far bellow, granting them the darkest color of black as they seemed to mold together, as well as the huge, looming figure that stood harmlessly amongst them, towering high above.

The figure took in a more of humanoid form, not quite, as it's thin arms extended beyond the hips as he held two long objects that had reached behind the rows of buildings, two long slender legs attached to the wide hips with an impossibly huge gap between them, a narrow waist yet broad chest and shoulders with two curvy and pointy structures sticking out of each shoulders. A head attached to the barely existing neck that took in the shape of an animal of some kind with its jaws spread apart as the the weird creature's head turned to the side, it's body leaning along before taking a step forward, its hips swayed and what he thought were blades in his hands dragged behind it as another step were taken. He didn't know if black was its color or that was the cause effect of the glowing sun behind it, but he noticed the end of the creature legs and blades took into a transparent appearance as they descended towards the ground, possibly it was why it managed to walk harmlessly through the buildings.

Was it a hollow or not, he didn't care, it looked beautiful. Neither was he the least disturbed about it.

"Beautiful.." He whispered. Watching as the creature took a step after step, surprisingly, towards him.

"Toushiro."

Someone called his name, but he ignored them. Too enchanted with the creature moving slowly with the breathtaking color all around it. He could hear more noise in the background but paid it no mind.

He really loved orange.

Suddenly he was grapped by the shoulders and someone turned his body to them, but he kept his face fixed faithfully towards the window. His face was turned by the chin soon after and he almost glared before the captivating color met his vision once again.

"Oh... "

It's only Ichigo.

Ichigo has such a beautiful shade of orange.

And he really loved orange.

Did that mean he loved Ichigo too?

"Wake up! "

"im awake. "

He grunted, coming down from his haze as he glanced once again through the window, darkness met his eyes and he blanched, not even a trace of the sun he had just been staring at a few seconds ago,

"What happened?" He breathed, turning his gaze back to the strawberry, eyes wide in surprise and slight horror.

Ichigo looked at him in confusion before releasing his grip, setting on the bed beside him before speaking, "Hey.. Shouldn't I ask you that, you ok?" He inquired, putting a hand back reassuringly on the other's shoulder. "You seemed half awake.. or I don't know, half asleep?"

Toushiro stared at him a bit longer before looking down, lifting a hand to his head to rub his scalp as he thought, the freaked out expression he just had leaving him slowly as he relaxed to the other's touch before nodding his head slightly, "I'm ok, I guess I was just dreaming. Where's the gigai?" He said, shrugging the hand on his shoulder and quickly diverting the course of the conversation.

The other looked at him sceptically a little longer before nodding his head towards the bedroom door, "Just laid it on the couch in the living room. You go slip on it while I make dinner, I've only got some Ramen now though hope it's ok?"

"Anything is fine." The captain shrugged.

"Alright then," and with that he left the room to prepare the food. The white haired boy sent one last glance towards the window, before shaking his head feverishly as he stood up off the bed, heading towards his gigai.

" _I'm going insane_."

He went to his gigai that was lying on the black couch with its eyes open wide, surely it had the appearance of when he had last worn it, he had his hair slightly shorter than usual back then. He wore a light turquoise cardigan with its buttons open, revealing a white shirt accompined with grey jeans and white sneakers; along with a big, woollen white scarf wrapped around the neck. He had a sudden love for scarfs that aside from his usual green one he wore with his Shinigami uniform, he made sure to always wear one whenever he was stationed to the World of the Living... He wasn't imitating a certain sixth captain or anything... Certainly not. Blood gushed crimson to his cheeks as he remembered the rumors when he first started wearing a white scarf, that's why he had changed it into a green one, some had said Kuchiki had actually given it to him! And some had went so far that said there was something going on between them. So what if it happened that he wore that white scarf just when Kuchiki decided to change his style and not wear one...? He huffed and quickly slipped into the gigai, the black collar he had on him transferring into it and it immediately took on the shape of his current form, the difference being only his hairstyle which was a bit longer than the previous, and,

"Jeez Toushiro you've definitely lost weight! So I wasn't imagining anything, your gigai was more chubby than this!"

Chubby? "Shut up!" He shot back. Could he blame him though? With everything that has been happening and how everyone was struggling to get things back to normal? He barely got any time to eat or take care of himself. He sighed as he removed the ridiculously big scarf and tried to tighten the belt of the jeans the gigai was wearing around his waist.

"Whatever I've got this taken care of, you aren't going back to the Soul Society until I've gotten some meat into your bones." The other said with a serious frown, as he put two large bowels of Ramen with wooden chips on the tables. The delicious scent immediately getting the captain to set on one of the stools in front one of the bowels as he waited patiently for the other to set down as well. "You can start eating if you wanna, no need to be so formal."

"I can wait." He said, watching as the other went to tedy around the kitchen before opening the black refrigerator to take out a couple of bottles of orange juice before setting down himself. Both mumbled a small 'Itadakimasu' before proceeding to eat.

"So, Toushiro," He ignored an "Hitsugaya-taicho" through a mouthful as he continued, "I've got classes tomorrow morning, so Renji and Rukia will be here through my morning classes until I get back." He waited for a reply, nothing though as the boys continued to eat greedily, half his face was evident due to the bowel he raised to his face as he munched away. Ichigo chuckled as the other neared finishing his bowel and stood up, grapping the empty bowel as the boy placed it on the table rather sadly, scooping more of the noodles into it and ignoring the protesting he heard the other spluttering before he handed the bowel back, any other objections he might had was swallowed along the food just as soon as the rich scent hit his nose.

The strawberry sat back on the table and rested his head on the hand he propped up on the table, smiling amusingly as he watched the starving male devour the second bowel just as greedily.

 ** _'Psst_** _ **!'**_

The captain's head quickly shot up out of the bowel as he looked in confusion at the other, strands of the noodles hanging out of his mouth and grease messily covering his lips and face. Ichigo was a bit taken back at the other's uncalled for and totally sudden attention.

 _Shut up, hollow!_ "What is it, Toushiro?"

"What? You just.. you said something."

The orange headed boy frowned, "No, no I didn't."

The icy captain turned his head back to his bowel, "Oh, sorry I thought.."

"It's ok." He smiled to the other as he went back to devour whatever was left. Normally Toushiro didn't even eat half as he's eating now, he prepared the first bowel thinking that he'd have to force the icy captain to finish it, he didn't like how unhealthily skinny he was getting, but this? He didn't expect at all, he was glad that he cooked extra food which he actually planned to heat on lunch tomorrow. Was he starving for days or something? Or maybe it was one of the effects his chaotic energy were responsible of. He made a mental note to tell Unohana about later. Nevertheless, he was glad that the food was good, he knew he was a good cook, it was the great Yuzu who had taught him how to cock after all, he wasn't quite as good as her but he was close. He's really so grateful for her offering to teach him before he moved out.

 ** _'King,'_**

The taller teen was startled again as teal eyes were on him so suddenly for the second time, before quickly diverting them back to his meal. He shrugged it off as his own staring probably disturbing the other, before standing up, putting his own empty bowel in the sink before heading towards the bedroom, "I'm going to lay out the futtons, you finish your food and don't forget your drink." He chuckled, the other probably forgot about it as he practically got his face stuffed in the noodles since they started eating. "There's more in the refrigerator, make yourself home and have anything you want."

With that he left the captain to his food as he got the futtons out of the huge closet, laying them neatly on the floor beside the bed, putting layers over layers of comfortable comforts and a few pillows with a heavy blanket.

 ** _'King,'_**

He sighed, _'Gods, what? I thought I've warned you many times about disturbing me when others were around.'_ But before the hollow in his head could respond, Toshiro was padding in the room, "Oh finished already?" He smiled.

"Hm. So, how am I going to sleep?"

"Well you just lie down, and then just think of pleasant things an-"

"Idiot! I mean I didn't exactly bring any sleeping clothes with me, or any at all. I ain't sleeping with these," He gestured down to his body, surely jeans are the least comfortable things to sleep in.

"Well, I was thinking that you could sleep with just your boxers on until Inoue brings your clothes from her place tomorrow. It's already warm inside and you've got warm blankets so it should be ok." The strawberry flashed him a grin, earning a deep blush from the other as his eyes widened in horror,

"A- are you crazy?" He hissed, "I'm not sleeping with only my underwear on!" Certainly not with this barely-covering-anything underwear! He wore briefs, he liked them because they resembled what they had in the soul society, they were more comfortable and less restricting than the normal boxers these living people had, which were more like shorts than underwears, he definitely didn't like the annoying extra fabric they had. But he didn't think he'd ever need to strip into them, not with anyone around, it meant that they'll leave his thighs all exposed and his private parts and ass more defined for the other's eyes to see... Nope, he isn't going to do it, he'd rather sleep in the freaking jeans instead of that. He watched as the grin fell and the other sighed, he went to open his closet then before pulling a baggy white T-shirt that definitely was too big for the smaller male,

"Well I thought of giving you some of my own but, really pants are going to fall off your hips, but I could lend you a shirt so.. here." He handed the shirt over and he took it, they were too big, even for Ichigo's size but he thought it was what he usually wore to bed, well at least it was long enough to probably reach his mid-thighs. Good.

"I'm going to the bathroom, you can change here while I'm there ok." He said before walking off out the room. The captain quickly stripping down and pulled the big shirt over his head, and to his relief it coverd his undergarments and a huge portion of his thighs. He wasn't self conscious of his body, but he didn't like others seeing what they're not supposed to see! He likes privacy, or ok maybe he really was a lil bit self conscious. He removed his socks as well and put the clothes in a neat pile on the floor just beside his futons, before slipping into the warm comforters, pulling one of the small pillows to his chest under the blankets. As much as he loves the ice and cold, he really liked being warm and cozy.

Not long after Ichigo was back, "So Toushiro do want the bed or... Oh." He stopped at the sight of the small sleeping body cocooned in a large pile of blankets, very light snores emitting from the slightly jarred lips as the young looking boy slept so peacefully on the comfortable futtons.

"Futtons it is then." He whispered as a warm smile graced his lips. He must have been really tired that he immediately drifted to a deep slumber as soon as his body hit the sheets. The strawberry quickly switched the lights off leaving a small lamp on his desk just to be able ti change his clothes, he got dressed in a pair of green sweats and a white baggy T-shirt similar to the one he lend the other. Trading carefully towards the desk again, he stood by it a lil longer to stare down at his crush while he could without getting caught by anyone, including the boy himself. He relished in the moment, his gaze tracing the the delicate, frown-free features that looked so incredibly innocent as he slept, the edge of the pillow he was holding to his chest was apparent near his face and it almost made him want to squeal at the realization, who thought the strong, icy captain of the tenth was such a cuddler in his sleep?! It was freaking adorable and he had to hold the strong urge to sweep down and pull the cute boy tightly to his chest.

He let out a love sigh before switching off the lamp and crawling over to his own bed, he opened his phone to text someone, making sure the phone light was at the minimum, he stayed up texting for around half an hour before shutting it off and putting it on his bedside table. Lying down afterwards to get some sleep as his mind was working through some fantasies of the that figure just a few meters away from him, he felt himself slowly lulling into dreamland but before he could completely shut out,

 _ **Pathetic.**_

"Dammit..."

 ** _You may wanna lower your voice, or actually shut up._**

'I thought we had an agreement.'

 ** _'Oh king, but this is important._**

 ** _I think he could hear me.'_**


	6. Chapter 5

Loud music rang loudly in the dark room and two figures jumped in alarm at the sudden startling sound, a hand quickly shooting towards the annoying phone before switching the alarm clock off, "Fuck..."

"What the..."

The orange headed boy opened the blackout blinds beside his bed, causing streaks of light entering the room as he looked at the startled face of the other occupant of the room, the white haired boy sat rigidly in his futon, his eyes wide and disturbed and a frown settled on his lips as he hoarsely whispered again, "What was that?"

A twinge of guilt tweaked at his heart, he didn't meant to frighten the other like that, he totally forgot to change his insane alarm ringtone which he always settled whenever he had an exam that morning, just to make sure he'd wake up in time. He ran a hand through his messy hair before rubbing his face before letting out a huge sigh as he stood up, "Gods, I'm so sorry Toushiro.." He knelt down in front of the captain, noticing the hand that had been grasping tightly at the sheets before putting his own hand on top of it in attempt of reassurance, "It's only my phone, it just won't happen again I promise," He smiled, the other male visibly relaxing as the strawberry held his hand, thumb lightly stroking the back of it.

"It's ok, go back to sleep. I have to prepare for college." And with that he stood up, closing the curtains back before he was out the room, heading to his bathroom to wash and clean to get ready for the day. Though he couldn't help the thoughts that plaqued him about a specific snowy haired captain he had just left in his bedroom.

It wasn't like he hadn't noticed that Toushiro had been pretty accepting of every single affectionate gesture he did towards him, he almost never slapped his hand away when he touched him, or leaned away or shrugged it off but when he did, he had allowed it to settle there for a good period of time before doing so... He wasn't so sure of what had that possibly meant, he knew it wasn't like Toushiro to accept things like that so openly from the people around him, he had seen how he always so desperately wriggled away from Rangiku's hugs or hair ruffles.. but then again he himself would have done that too, she did it in a very annoying way, and he knew she meant it to be that way, he shook his head the the blonde woman's outrageous, yet amusing behavior, she was the only one to get away with her antics with a captain, her _own_ captain, but if anything that just shows how close the two really are, never allowing any formalities or limits to come between them.

His thoughts drifted then to the other time he had witnessed someone daring to touch the young looking boy, it was when Toushiro, his lieutenant and the elevnths, along with Renji and Rukia were stationed in Karakura back on Aizen's days, they were all eating some Pizza they've ordered at Inoue's, but the girl had also made some kind of a dish that, and for the first time, had actually looked normal. It was a dish of pasta but knowing the girl and how badly she cooked, no one dared to touch it but when she went to get the Pizza on the door the others quickly twirled a pen on the middle of the table to see who's gonna try the dish, and it landed on Toushiro. Luckily, Inoue was back when the captain had stated that it actually tasted good, surprised and somewhat shocked expressions were on everyone's faces and Inoue had exclaimed so loudly and excitedly that she had reached out to wrap her arms around the boy's head, the poor boy himself had been so shooked at her reaction and quickly slipped away from her grasp as Rangiku came to his aid and hugged the giddy girl instead. He couldn't stop a chuckle at the memory of Toushiro's face when he had been hugged so suddenly from someone other than Rangiku, a rather horrified expression in his face that had really made the people in the room struggling to hold their laughters.

Such light-hearted moments were really something by then, with the burden Aizen had put into everyone, with the immense powers he had stolen and claimed, the people he had hurt and those whom had been involved with him and been turned against their loved ones. He had destroyed bonds, put doubts in most hearts and made those who had been close wary from each other. He had been the worst enemy they've ever encountered and not even the wars after had been as destructive as the war against him was. Ichigo's beyond happy that everything is over now, the Seireitei could finally go back to the peace it always have been blessed with for many, many years. Toushiro now isn't as tense and uptight as he used to be back then, and he had only known _that_ Toushiro since Ichigo had only got to meet him when the whole betrayal thing had took place, but now as everything grim is over, and with Hinamori and the people Toushiro loved out of danger, he had noticed that he had become so much more less grumpy, he actually smiles and chuckles, he could have conversations with him and they even joke and tease each other, or laugh at each other. Ichigo thought that given more time he'd be willingly taking vacations to actually relax and enjoy himself. Although things still weren't quiet.. right between him and Hinamori, but at least she's ok, she kept her position as lieutenant in the fifth with Hiraku as her captain, that bastard was actually a good person, and knowing Toushiro, that in itself will make him feeling better even if they'll never make up, he'll still care from afar.

That last thought left a bitter taste in his mouth, it made him harbour a bad feeling towards the girl that he didn't really want to, he didn't want to hate her while he really didn't know her, how was she and who was she and why is she this important to Toushiro? Why did he love her and cared for her this much? Did she deserve it or even do that for him too? He couldn't help it, but with each time the topic was mentioned and he glimpsed even the finest signs of sadness of the other boy, he could feel hatred welling inside of him, getting stronger and deeper with each time and no matter how much he tried to suppress it, it wouldn't go away. He just hated seeing Toushiro hurt, if he could he'd try and talk to the damn girl for his sake, see what was her problem and possibly try to solve it or something, or maybe give her a piece of his mind, but Rangiku had warned him about that and he thought she knew better.

Ichigo had only washed his hair, so only took a small towel to put in his head as he rubbed furiously at his hair to get it dry as he walked back to his bedroom. To his surprise, he found the other shorter male already dressed in his clothes from yesterday as he sat politely on Ichigo's bed, which was neatly made along with futtons sheets on the floor, the big shirt he had been given lying neatly on top of it. He looked up as the orange head entered the room before opening his mouth to speak,

"What am I going to do while you're in school?"

"We I tried to tell you yesterday- "

"I'm not staying to get babysat by Kuchiki and Abarai."

He sighed, he really wasn't expecting any less, "Ok, so what you wanna do? "

The boy looked down in thought, fingers fidgeting with the fabric of his jeans as he was debating what you was going to say, "Well, couldn't I go too?"

"To school? " He got a nod in response. "Well, it's not the high school you guys were going to anymore. It's college now, I guess just a huge and a bit different version of school but I don't think it's as easy to officially slip in as a student." He watched as the hopeful expression fell and quickly added, "But you know what, you don't even need to be a student to be there." He could feel heat spring in his own cheeks as those hopeful big eyes turned back to him, what he thought was happiness sparkling his inside if them. He was so freaking cute! He couldn't help the wide grin that split his face as he went to his closet to take his clothes out.

"Really? How? "

"The university grounds are like free space for everyone, and for classes there's many, many students and many lecturers, whether you attend your class or no it's up to you, and for those who attend a sheet is passed between them so whoever present of the actual students could put a check beside their names and that's it. So really if you were with me in class, no one is going to care or question your identity."

"Oh."

"Yeah but the thing is, I don't know if you'd like or even understand the actual lectures so, are you sure?! Staying home is more appealing really, I could teach you how to use the internet?"

"I will go." _What is internet anyway?_

"Get up then and get cleaned," He took his phone as he looked at the time, "There's enough time if you want to have a shower. Inoue will be here any moment now and she have your clothes with her."

Nodding quickly, the shorter male quickly went out to the bathroom and soon, he could hear the water from the shower head turned on. Ichigo then changed into a pair of dark purple skinny jeans that defined the beautiful shape of his ass and thighs, dark grey turtleneck shirt along with light brown coat that had been a lil bit shorter that allowed the hem if the shirt to be visible, he finished the look with light brown boots and a purple light scarf. He didn't bother to comb his hair and just left it at its usual messy shape. Ichigo had always took good care of his appearance, he rather liked doing so very much, he liked all the shopping and looking for new clothes just as much as lots of women did, he didn't really follow what was latest in fashion, he only loved what he thought looked good. He even was a bit excited about dressing Toushiro up himself... well he will never tell him that, he thought that when Inoue comes with the other's clothes, he'd take them himself and carefully choose something whilst pretending that he had just took out anything to help him hurry to not get late or something, and hopefully he'd still be in the bathroom while that happened. Just as he thought that the doorbell rang and he quickly jumped to the door, opening the door to meet the cheerful figure on the other side,

"Good morning, Kurosaki-kun!"

"Morning!" He was grinning brightly, "Perfect timing Inoue, c'mon lets get, we have a lil mission to accomplish."

She clapped her hands together in happiness after Ichigo had taken the heavy bag from her, of course she knew what mission that was, after all, Toushiro's clothes in the living world were all picked by her and Rangiku through their shopping adventures together, and was kept in her house along with Rangiku's stuff for future use. He knew that the way Toushiro dressed most times was -probably unwillingly- with his lieutenant help, he wasn't really good at matching up clothes and stuff, if he even ever did bother to do so.

And it was Rangiku who had pointed out that green scarf he used to wear with his Shinigami uniform, stating that it'll match the inner color of his captain's coat. Surely it did look very good on the icy captain, very _very_ good. Gorgeous actually. How people had dared to vote Byakuya as number one in that most-handsome-men-in-scarf list that was one in of the seireitei magazines was beyond him.

* * *

"Ahhh! Toushiro-kun, you look adorable!" The irange headed girl swooned whilst the embarrassed boy mumbled irritatingly, he hated to be to people's focus of attention!

"I'm not adorable, don't call me things like that." His gaze was to the floor while his shoulder raised in tense discomfort, he wanted so badly to get away from the two figures that had been eyeing him since he gotten out of the bedroom, he had ignored them first when got out of his shower with two towels around his hips and shoulders, his previous clothes from yesterday in hand that he planned to wear for the day too and not caring about what the hill they were chatting so loudly and excitedly about, until Ichigo had knocked harshly on the bedroom door before he had gotten dressed, stating that he better not wear his old _smelly_ clothesand that Inoue had already brought the rest of his clothes, giving him one attire with a huge idiot grin in his face before leaving him to get dressed.

"Oh but Toushiro, she's right you look gorgeous!" _G-g-gorge-?_ If there wasn't a blush beforehand, then there definitely is now as he could feel intense heat rushing to his cheeks as his wide gaze met the only other male's in the room, beforehe shook his head furiously in a sad attempt to get rid of it,

"I- I- ah it's Hitsugaya taicho to you!" The poor boy spluttered the one and only response that he could think of right at that moment, averting his eyes again as he spat,

"And what with those.. silly clips!" He pointed out to the small, cute beige hairpins that Orihime quickly sprung to put in his hair as soon as was out, it held a bit of the fringe of his hair that was always on his forhead and over his left eye, lifting it up and to the side, allowing more of that beautiful face to be revealed. It really suited him and Ichigo couldn't left his eyes off him, openly staring before the captain reached out to remove it, throwing in away in despise somewhere.

The rest of the outfit was a dark red, woolly sweater that was knitted with beautiful patterns all over it, a white shirt under with the collar hems sticking out by the neck, the end of the shirt reaching down bellow the sweater to his slim hips. A slim fit khaki pants defining his butt and legs nicely without them being too tight, Toushiro after all, hated tight and restrictive clothes and they knew that. He didn't wear the black jacket that he had been given but that was to be expected, he made sure to choose this heavy sweater for that reason, though Ichigo smirked when he saw he took the black and beige patterned scarf that he was now holding in his hand,

"You really love scarfs, don't you?"

The white haired boy headed towards the door and slipped on his white shoes as they prepared to get out, clearly hiding the blush that refused to cease ever since he stopped foot to thr hellish living room,

"Shut up."

The three of them had gotten out to the streets, luckily Ichigo had chosen an apartment that was pretty close to the university campus and so he only had to cycle or walk to and from, depending on how early he was on the morning but usually he liked to walk. Inoue had departed from them since she had promised her friend that she was gonna pass by her before going together to their own classes, she attended the same university but he rarely seen her in campus, she had managed to get herself a place in the college of Art and Design, which much to everyone's surprise she had hidden talents for that no one really knew about until they had finished school and were to find out what each had wanted to do with their lives after school. It was so sad not being able to share classes with your friends anymore, everyone had taken different paths in their lives, it was only Ichigo and Uryuu who had gotten into medical school together, luckily being put in the same group, sharing classes and everything, although neither of them were going to admit it but both were actually happy once they learned they wouldn't need to split apart. Contrary to popular belief, they were good friends, and they had their moments, even if most of the times they seemed to fight and disagree about most things, and they'd even started a some kind of an friendly competition regarding exams and grades, which was a great push for Ichigo whenever he felt droopy or fatigued of how much he studied sometimes.

Toushiro had put the scarf around his neck just as the girl departed and quietly nuzzled into it, he felt the chilly morning air getting into him through his bare neck and he suppressed a shudder, silently regretting leaving the jacket back home. Normally he wouldn't need heavy clothes in such a weather and it wasn't even snowing, he actually very much liked the cold, but he thought that his somewhat weakened state had what made him more prone to it.

"Gods, it's cold." The strawberry beside him said, rubbing his hands together before blowing hot air onto them in attempt to get warm, "You should have gotten that jacket, it's freezing."

"It's ok."

Ichigo shrugged as he got his phone out, not his huge weird one, but the small device that Shinigami use to contact each other in the world of the living, he pushed some buttons before getting the small phone back to his pockets, it was then that Toushiro had noticed the orange headed boy wasn't carrying a bag, or any kind of books or pens... Shouldn't students carry that with them to their classes? He was curious...

"Just sent Rukia a message to not bother come home since you're with me,"

"Oh by the way, tell me again why exactly do I need a babysitter? not only one, but two?!"

Ichigo looked at him in confusion, "already forgotten Unohana's instructions?!"

"No, but I'm in my gigai and the collar appeared to be working, if I stayed home you'll be away for a few hours.. So what's the big deal?!" The smaller boy looked up with a pout forming in his lips, which Ichiho immediately returned,

"No, no the purpose here is to guard you, there's still hollows around have you forgotten that?!"

"My riatsu is barely noticeable with this collar,"

"But it _is_ noticeable."

"But-"

Ichigo stopped suddenly as he turned fully towards the shorter male, "I'm not going to risk anything, alright?! Besides, barely a day had passed I wouldn't possibly know if it's safe to leave you alone or no, not yet. Please, Toushiro, don't make this hard on me."

The other looked away in irritation, his eyebrows furrowing deeper but he kept his mouth shut, seemingly convinced but not liking the idea of the idiot strawberry being right or even wanting to admit it to him, "Then why _two_?"

Ichigo bit his lip in amusement at that, before standing up and ruffling the snowy locks as he proceeded to walk again, "Is arguing one of your hobbies or something?" he said while failing to suppress a chuckle, "So what if it was one or two?! But hey tell you what, you could say it's one and half since Renji barely counts as a completely sane human being."

He turned his gaze back to the other who was glaring at him half-heartedly as he was clearly trying to stop the smile that had been twitching the sides of his lips up, he knew what was coming next, so he purposely pushed his lower lip out in a stupid childish pout when it happened, the captain quickly raised his palm up to cover his mouth as he looked away as chuckles that he was trying so hard to suppress escaped out, Ichigo couldn't stop the chuckles of his own as he watched the other laugh although he really didn't know what was so funny but that what made the situation comical because, that was the thing about Toushiro, he laughed just at the silliest things ever!

"Look who's here!"

Suddenly arms where wrapped around the two laughing boys as the owner took residence in the middle, one on Ichigo's waist while the other around Toushiro's shoulders as the latter looked up in astonishment, lighters dying out as a grinning blonde's green eye met his own two, "Long time, no see, eh? "

"I- it's you..."

"It's me."

Getting over the initial shock the white haired male pushed himself away as he glared at the new blond figure in annoyance, "Don't touch me."

"What? I'm the one who should have hard feelings, it's you who kicked my ass remember?" The blonde pouted, and both looked up as laugher emitted out from the third person in the small group,

"C'mon Toushiro don't be like that! I thought you'd be happy to see him honestly, Yukio is a really nice person once you get to know him," He put his hand on the blonde boy's shoulder, the other's hand still on his waist as Yukio grinned up at him as Toushiro observed the scene presented in front of him, before quickly averting his eyes and started stumping towards the huge grounds and buildings they were originally heading to. He didn't know what had gotten into him and why did he felt this irritated, he thought that he was more annoyed than he was supposed to be upon meeting his old enemy..? No that wasn't it, it was just about how casually the other boy touched him like they were friends for ages, but really if he was honest with himself that wasn't even half bad as what he had felt upon seeing the two holding each other like that, he didn't fathom why, but he knew that he like it. Why?

But more importantly, _why_ was the idiot blonde this touchy-feely towards the taller idiot anyway?

The two quickly let go of each other as they followed the shortest of their group, Ichigo calling his name many times but the other refused to acknowledge him so he just left him be, just as long as he kept an eye on him. Ichigo though was a bit disheartened at Toushiro's reaction about meeting the blonde, he had hoped that Toushiro would like him just as much as he did himself, maybe it was a bit too early to be feeling like that since the two boys hardly met each other or knew each other properly.. But still he couldn't help it, he didn't want Toushiro to hate Yukio or something.

Yukio is really such a nice guy, Ichigo first encountered him properly when he first gotten into college, when it was his very first day in the utterly huge university campus and he was so lost, not knowing what to do or where to go, he knew no one, Uryuu wasn't with him at the time either that until someone clapped on his back hard with that same 'Look who's here!' phrase and Ichigo recognized him immediately as one of the fullbringers. Yukio then showed him around, pointing out which buildings were his and where his lectures were being held and stuff, he was a great help and the strawberry couldn't be more grateful. Yukio studied something in Software Engineering and at their first semester they've shared the English course together as Yukio had managed to transfer himself to Ichigo's class while Uryuu was in another. Ichigo had discovered that it wasn't Yukio's first semester by the time he realized that the boy knew way too much to be a freshman and after a bit of interrogations -abuse?- it was revealed that Yukio was a repeater and that he had actually failed in his very first semester, it wasn't a surprise though, as he also failed miserably in their first quiz but neither that was a surprise, during their classes the strawberry noticed that all the boy was doing is getting out his small gaming console, playing until the class was over, not paying the slightest attention to a word that had been said in class. Ichigo had none of it though, he had tried to talk the other out of it but it only did work for as long as half of the class's time, until he decided to take the small console out of the other's hand when he caught him taking it out once more and never given it back until the end of the school day. With each day and with Ichigo's help the blonde started actually paying attention, they've started studying together even, and by the time their next exam had come Yukio's had improved and till this day he had never failed one course. Well basic courses were always the worst anyway no wonder the boy had managed to live through the rest of his years.

Now they were at their third year of college and even though they never shared classes again, the blonde taking his classes in a different building while his own ones in medicine now with Uryuu, they still hang out together quite frequently and almost everyday during their lunch breaks or weekends -Uryuu had never been one to hang out anyway- and Ichigo and Yukio have gotten real close with the years they've spent together.

"Is he always this mean?"

"No.. Not really. I mean, yeah... he could be?" He reached out and snatched the brown hat from Yukio's head, placing it on his own and earning a playful pout as he grinned at the other, "But don't worry, he's been like that to me as well at the beginning. I thought he'd be more accepting to new people now though, but you're not exactly new, are you?"

"Nah,"Yukio laughed, "So, any progress?" He said, jumping but miserably failing in snatching the hat back as the taller boy simply leaned away from the offending hand.

"What you mean?"

"You know what I mean." The blonde nodded towards the stumping white haired captain ahead, before jumping and failing again, "You're not going anywhere with my hat by the way!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"...no. So progress?! "

"What it is with you and your hats anyway?"

Ichigo looked down at the other as he observed the rest if his attire, Yukio was wearing one of his favorite long black coats that he had left open, over a dark green turtleneck, dark blue jeans, brown leathery long boots and of course, his newsboy cap that now was on his own head. The boy definitely had a strong obsession towards those kind of hats it was unbelievable, he knew that his friend was very passionate towards his hats, thus he liked to steal it from time to time to observe the other's reactions, it was always enjoyable. He thought that Toushiro had a thing for scarves but at least it wasn't as bad as it was with Yukio and his hats.

"If you're trying to avoid the question, quit it! It ain't working." The green eyed boy huffed, "And you better return my cap before class starts."

Ichigo's gaze was quickly back on Toushiro again whilst he thought about his answer, "I... Uh,"

"Hmm?"

"I don't know," He sighed as he rubbed the back of his head, swiftly avoiding another attack to his hat. "I mean, I think Toushiro and I are in very good terms, I know that I'm considered a friend in his books now but... I still don't know if he wants it to be more than that or no."

"Ichigo, I already know that." Yukio rolled his eyes at the other, "I mean, have you done _anything_ at all to at least find out if he's willing to go out with you?!"

"How in heaven could I possibly do that?!"

Yukio chuckled, "I.. Haha, don't know either. You should have figured it out or something."

"That's not helping!" Ichigo punched him lightly in the arm.

"Unless..!"

"Yeah?!"

"..You actually asked him out! "

"Yukio it's almost class time and my building is not even close, see you at lunch bye!" He patted the blonde boy's cheek lightly before running off the general direction to his building, grapping Toushiro's arm in his way as the poor guy yelped in surprise before he was dragged away and out if site amongst the crowd of students.

It wasn't even five seconds before the orange headed student heard his name screamed frustratingly as he laughed, holding a particular brown newsboy cap on his head to not fly off away in his hurry.


	7. Chapter 6

Boring.

The man kept talking on and on about some kind of a nasty illness that could infect the human race and, from what he had caught through the tedious speech, makes a person fear water irrationally before they ended up dead. He shuddered, what a bad ending. Thank goodness, Shinigami does not catch those illnesses living people had in their world, unless the gigai caught it they'd hace to deal with it until it recovers, but they could always dispose of it if _it_ dies. Shinigami are already dead anyway. But, he was in a gigai, and from the lots he knows he isn't allowed to get out of it... The white haired boy frowned, looking up at the pictures the weird thing on the ceiling was emitting on the wall behind the man. A small picture of a black dog was on the corner of all the pictures the man was occasionally reading from, does this come from dogs then? So all he had to do is avoid dogs and he'll be safe? He thought that, if his gigai ever caught it, it might likely means he had to deal with it until another gigai was made.. He shook his head furiously, before looking worryingly over to the orange headed boy beside him that was so immersed in his phone. The weird, big one.

Isn't he supposed to be taking notes? His curiosity from before emerged again, temporary replacing the slight fear and worry he had just had before he leaned in his seat towards the other, trying to catch a glimpse of what the other was possibly doing. They were sitting on the seats at the back of the room with tons of students in front of them and around them, which either were furiously writing down whatever was the teacher was saying, like Ishida who was sitting at the very front, or were talking quietly amongst themselves but the ones in the back mostly were just doing as the orange headed idiot beside him was doing right now. The loud teacher's voice was filling the room, so if he just so quietly whispered he wouldn't disturb any would he?

"What are you doing?"

Brown orbs were on him instantly as a light blush covered the boy's cheeks, Toushiro haven't noticed if that was there previously or not and had only caught a glimpse of white and black before the phone that had been almost touching the taller male's nose was flipped over on his lap, "O-oh, nothing really." Ichigo leaned back on his seat, putting his phone back in his jeans pocket before rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "So, how do you like the class?"

The captain sighed, looking back at the picture that had now a dog with a frothy substance dribbling from its tounge before looking away in disgust, "I'm not attending the next." he whispered back, he had started regretting ever coming to this place, but then again, could staying at Ichigo's apartment be better?

"You kidding me?!"

Ichigo had said that a bit louder than anticipated causing the lecturer to chide at the class lightly before asking them to please either be silent or get out of class before proceeding with his lecture, Ichigo had given Toushiro a disapproving look before mouthing an ' _after class'_ before actually paying attention to the lecturer in the front of them, a frown never leaving his face as the lecture went on until it was near the end of the class, he then took out his phone and started pushing away furiously on the delicate screen of the phone, maybe he wasn't really paying attention after all.

"What do you mean you're nit attending the next, huh?!" Ichigo was hissing as soon as they were outside class, he crossed his arms over his chest as he frowned down at the other shorter boy in front of him.

"It's boring, a waste of time really, I could do better things instead of that." The captain scowled back, mimicking the other's action ls as he crossed his arms in front of his own chest.

"I told you to stay home!" _No way he was allowing him away by himself!_

"And what could I have possibly done home?!"

"Look,"

"No you look, it's not like I'm gonna die or something if I were away from you for a few hours, just go back to class, I'll be fine."

Ichigo slapped his forhead hard as he sighed in exasperation, _stubborn, very, very stubborn._

 ** _'Yet you like him, eh?'_**

Ichigo looked back up quickly, eyes wide in horror as he observed the captain in front of him that was still scowling heatedly at him... He didn't look like he had heard anything, right?

 _ **'Nah I still think he could.'**_

 _'Sshh!'_

"What?" the captain snapped. Good, it doesn't look like he was disturbed in any way. Going back to the topic at hand the strawberry shook his head as he snapped back,

"But Toushiro! You can't do that! Once you attend the first class you're obliged to attend the rest till the end of them!"

"Liar." At least he tried, "Kurosaki, I'm not officially enrolled and anyway you said yourself even students themselves can skip if they wanted."

 _Me and my big mouth._ The orange headed Shinigami sighed, he wished he hadn't told the other this much. the snowy haired captain looked down as he uncrossed his arms, placing his hands on his hips instead as he waited for an answer. He looked genuinely annoyed and irritated and honestly, Ichigo didn't expect any less, he couldn't possibly understood all the medical talk, besides, this course was overly boring, the medical student himself couldn't put up with it and had been reading some shounen-ai manga on his phone as the class went on. He was there to only mark his name on the attendance sheet after all. He really didn't want to make Toushiro go through this but, if he could just put up with the next few hours until he found a new solution..

"Toushiro,"

"Listen," The captain looked back up, "I'm not stepping a foot outside these grounds, alright? Just go to your class and once you finish contact me through this," He held out the small Shinigami device from his pocket, an almost pleading look apparent on his face as his eyes shone in what he thought was desperate hope, lips pressed firmly to each other. Ichigo's chocolate orbs were locked to the other's teals as he felt himself almost yielding to the other's request before he quickly looked away before his resolve crumbled, he turned to the side and gripped a handful of his own hair as he thought frantically, he really really didn't want to turn him down, certainly not with the look ge was giving him. His gaze swifted back to the other's eyes who now now was tipping his head to the side to try and meet his own gaze, but he quickly avoided it once again. No, no he couldn't leave him by his own, they still didn't know if it was safe to do that just yet, there's no way he could ever risk anything regarding Toushiro's well-being...

"You know what," Ichigo lowered his arm as he straightened up, facing the other again, a grin now itching its way to his previously troubled face, he only got this solution and it's ok, doing it this once wouldn't hurt, "I'm skipping too, let's go- "

"No!" The captain exclaimed loudly, successfully shutting the other's mouth up, his head straightened up so quick that his hair jumped to the movement as he took a few steps closer, with a look that Ichigo thought was of an almost worried frustration on his face, as he continued in a calmer pattern, "No, you aren't skipping anything for me, just go back in!" throwing his chin towards the door, "I can handle myself."

And at juat that very moment Ichigo's phone went off in a repeated short tones before he gotten it, swiping on the screen to check on whatever was on it, "Ok, Toushiro. You either come back in with me, allow me to skip and come with you, or... " The grin that had previously fell was slowly quirking the edges of his lips up again, "I go back to class, while you go and accompany Yukio who's already waiting for you just outside this building."

"Wh-... What?" Wide eyed, the white haired captain stared stupidly at the other, as if he was expecting him to declare he was kidding or something, nothing came though and he scowled deeply as he seethed, "No. Way."

"Oh, and here I thought I'd be actually attending this important lecture." the strawberry looked down in fake disappointment, heaving a deep sigh.

"You still can!" The boy argued, he didn't want to burden the other in any way, he'd hate himself for it... But he really didn't want to attend those boring lectures Ichigo attended.. why would he want to know how and what nasty ways living people were killed in? "I told you I'll handle myself."

The other shook his head, "Nah, I ain't risking it for a mere lecture, even if it may affect my grades later- "

"Ugh okay! Okay." Growled the defeated captain as he throw his head back in indignation, "I will go with.. with," What was his last name again? "with the brat."

Ichigo let out a cackle causing the few students around them to turn their attention to them, the shorter boy hissed at him to lower his voice and he brought up his forearm to his mouth in a poor attempt to muffle his laughters, "Look who's talking." he quipped when the laughers started to die down, a huge grin still on his face with the occasional chuckle.

Before Toushiro could rebut, the lecturer came and ushered the students back inside, instantly Ichigo was by the door as he raised a finger to the other, "You stick with Yukio,"

He earned a shrug, "I'll be in contact with Yukio, if I -"

"Just go inside, Kurosaki! I'll be with him, relax." He sighed in exasperation as Ichigo gave him a skeptical look before he was inside the class, the door closed behind him.

 _Idiot._ The snowy haired captain thought as he turned around and was heading towards the stairs that would lead outside, he sighed heavily again, it looks like he's going to do that quite often considering the 'company' he's going to be having the next few hours, he really wasn't looking forward to see the obnoxious blonde let alone talk to him. For a moment he considered going back to class but quickly shook the idea off, as much as he didn't like the green eyed blonde, the captain wasn't a rude person and he at least appreciated the other's effort to come and get him.. But wait, how did he know anyway?

Soon, he was out and instantly spotted the smiling face of the ex-fullbringer as he walked to him waving,

"Hey! Toushiro!" An immediate death glare was earned and the poor blonde blanched as he took a step backwards, "Eh?"

"Don't call me that."

"Gods, ok so, um, Hitsugaya?"

A grunt.

"Okay then." Not quite sure if that was an affirmative or not, as the glare was still on him, he was at loss at what to do now and Yukio rubbed the back of his head in confusion, just when he remembered an important component of his head was still missing, "Ohh, So Tosh- uh, Hitsugaya!" quickly correcting when the other bared his teeth, "Where is my hat?"

The grumpy captain walked off in a random direction and the blonde followed him, his question still hanging in the air as the boy completely ignored it, _what's wrong with him?_ Thought the ex-fullbringer as he pouted in frustration, emerald green eyes -or at least the one that wasn't covered with the yellow fringe- locked to the back of the white haired head. Did he hate him this much? What did he do anyway? They were enemies back then and the whole ordeal is over now, and wasn't Yukio the one who had been defeated miserably at the time?

"So?" He tried again,

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh," At least he had answered, "Ichigo said he'd send it with you," Frowned the blonde,

"Maybe he had forgotten."

Yukio sighed, "Alright, I'll get it back from him at lunch, he's supposed to meet me at a nearby park by then, what about we go there now? It's real nice, you may like it." He suggested, hopefully waiting for a response but none came as the other kept walking ahead to.. nowhere in particular. Yukio sighed again as he looked down in disappointment, the boy was totally ignoring him. Ichigo had texted him earlier in his first class and asked if he was free in the next couple of hours, he couldn't answer until the end of class and had texted him back telling him that he had actually gotten the rest of the morning off until after lunch when his afternoon classes started. He headed straight to the medical buildings afterwards, but didn't know though that it was going to be only him and the Shinigami captain until Ichigo called a few minutes later telling him to take care of the boy and never let him out of his sight.

He still didn't know what exactly was wrong with the white haired boy, but he knew from what Ichigo had told him last night through WhatsApp that he wasn't in total 'mental, physical, and spiritual well being' as the other had said it- of course he stole the line from of his medical books- thus the need to be around him at all times until he got better. When he asked for a clarification he said he'll tell him later and that he wanted to sleep. Yukio looked up at the boy, he looked totally alright, too moody maybe? He couldn't judge though he barely knew the guy, aside from what Ichigo had always been telling him about how gorgeous he is and many stuff like that, he really knew nothing. So yeah of course he knew of how much Ichigo is head over heels over the captain, Ichigo almost brought him up every day, and if he didn't Yukio himself did, and he had many many times tried to encourage his friend to freaking ask him out already! He thought that if the strawberry couldn't do that himself, then he'd definitely help with that... But if only the brat captain stopped acting like a child...

He took his phone out and immediately texted Ichigo, making sure to not let the Shinigami in front out of his sight,

'HELLP!'

Immediately the two check marks turned blue, of course.

'HELLP syndrome?'

'Shut up, Toushiro is avoiding me :(  
Gimme an advice?'

'Hmmm.  
Struck a conversation with him.'

'You think I haven't tried that already?!'

'And keep nagging him about it,  
he'll eventually start answering to you if only to shut you up.'

Yukio almost faceplamed, was that how he had gotten closer to the other in the first place? He didn't see how that was ever going to work but, there's nothing to lose, is there?

'You sure he won't unleash his ice dragon on me or something?'

'Positive.  
He can't anyways.'

Good.

With a renewed determination, the blonde closed his phone and jogged up until he was walking beside the shorter male, though he wasn't taller than him by much, The top of the captain's head would approximately reach to Yukio's chin. He gazed to the side where the other was still not acknowledging him, his face passive from any emotion as he walked straight ahead, the scarf was partially covering the lower part of his face, it was then when Yukio noticed something and found a topic to start up with,

"You really love scarfs, don't you?"

No response, but he thought he saw a white eyebrow twitches.

"Well they suit you, or maybe you suit them?" Wait, was that considered flirting? A growl was his response as the boy sped up his steps, he walked so fast that Yukio had to jog slightly to keep up.

"So what is it that had drawn you into them?"

Another twiche,

"Man, Now I'm like all those people who usually asks me why I love my hats so much," He made some gestures with his hands, "it's sometimes annoying, right?"

"You're annoying indeed." Growled the now scowling boy and Yukio chuckled, that was rather, too amusing.

"Ok, sorry. Lets change the topic- Ahh by the way that was the park I was talking about," He pointed his finger to their left were green lands was apparent a little further away from them, it looked so wide and there was what he had learned people called 'fountains' in the middle of a small lake. Instantly he changed paths -He didn't know where was ge heading anyway- and walked towards greenish lands, it looked so appealing to go and relax at,

"I knew you'd like it!"

If only an annoying blonde wasn't following him.

Toushiro quickened his steps as he passed through amongst the students until he reached his desired destination, the blonde quick on his heels. Students littered around the park but they were either sitting on some rugs they've spread on the ground to seek the sun warmth, or on the chairs facing towards the lake, but he made his way towards one of the multiple trees scattered around and proceeded to sit down on the grassy dirt before a hand reached out to pull him up just before his backside reached the ground, he immediately scowled and glared at the other as shrugged his arm free, "What's wrong with you?!"

"Hey I've got a rug we can sit on in my bag! Sorry for protecting your ass from getting dirty." The blonde snapped back, a pout in his face before that soon turned into a grin as he chuckled, "Because, maybe you'd prefer it getting dirty with something else?"

Thankfully though, Toushiro just looked at him in confusion as the blonde took out the yellow rug out from his Backpack, spreading it to the ground before taking his shoes off and setting on it legs crossed. The captain copied his actions and sat resting his back on the tree behind him with one under him amd the other propped up to his chest. He watched as the boy in front of him searched for something in his bag, a stupid small smile still on his face. Had Yukio always been like this? Or was there something that had gotten him so happy in this particular day? The captain wasn't even nice to him in the slightest, yet the blonde didn't seem to get genuinely upset. The boy then had two pieces of chocolate out, handing one out to the captain but he had shook his head in refusal, but the boy insisted on him taking it, stretching his arm and shaking the purple covered chocolate directly in front of his face, as annoying as the action was Toushiro didn't like the idea of turning him down now, he was mean to him enough up till now so he sighed and took it from his grasp, causing a wide grin to stretch on his mouth before he lowered his gaze to do something with his phone. If Toushiro was honest with himself, Yukio wasn't really half bad. Though he didn't remember him like that, he thought he was some kind of an arrogant, spoiled rich snob or something. Then again, he remembered that Yukio was never really a spoiled child, from what he concluded in their encounter years ago, he had some serious family issues, he had experienced abandonment from the closest people anyone could ever have, before those committed suicide upon finding out their money and business is all gone. To be the reason for someone's death.. even if you tried to convince yourself that you hated them or didn't care about them, it must be hurting.

"Toushiro?"

Toushiro didn't realize he was staring at the other for a while now, eyes glazed as he sat deep in thought about the same person until a hand was waving in front of him, before he jumped slightly and shook his head, "It's Hitsugaya."

"Oh right. So Hotsugaya,"

Yukio chuckled, "I know but, Hotsugaya contained both 'Hot' and 'Gay', couldn't help but use it since it's so you!" He grinned widely before taking the last piece of chocolate into his mouth, "You're gay, right?"

"Don't talk with food in your mouth." The captain buried his face deeper into the creamy scarf, eyes looking at the fountains near them and away from the other, desperately trying to avoid the subject and the silly version of flattery the idiot in front of him had presented. Didn't the blonde idiot ask him why he loved scarfs before? Well one of the reasons that he did, was that they could perfectly hide a blush if he needed them to be hidden, which was every freaking time. It was always so embarrassing, he knew when they were evident when immense heat was rushing to his cheeks, he could feel them burning at his whole face as he tried to calm himself down, which usually never worked. Why was the insolent brat asking him such a personal question anyways?!

He was gay indeed, but he wasn't intending to tell the boy in front of him what his sexual preference was, what is it to him anyway? No one really knew about such private matters about him but Rangiku, she knew everything. He had found out about it when Rangiku had once brought a set of books from the living world that she had left on the coffee table and warned him from touching before she feld off to god knows where, he had been taking a break on the couch and intending to read one of the many books he had on his shelves when his gaze kept swifing back and fourth from the book he was supposed to be reading and to the ones on the table to his side, his lieutenant's warning hadn't actually given the desired effect as it just made him the more curious -or maybe that was just what she wanted?- because, if she hadn't, he might have not even paid them a glance, thus wouldn't allow the.. overly attracting covers of the books to allure him. He ended up reading five of what he learned later were called 'Yaoi doujinshis' and upon Rangiku's return she had found him overly still and quiet, a blush on his face as he bit his lower lips and sat staring at the books that he had put down on the table, occasionally taking deep breaths to control the odd heat in his lower abdomen and the.. uncomfortable stirring between his legs. All hell broke lose afterwards as Rangiku rushed to hug him, all kinds of deafening squeals and laughers as she proceeded to tell him what he had read was and that there was a bigger version of those kinds of stories that they called 'Manga', he refused her offers to bring him some as it was already embarrassing enough, he was even still a lil bit overwhelmed with all the pornography he had just seen for the first time on his life but the woman wouldn't give a him a break. And it's not like stopped her anyway, she brought them and now they sat untouched on one of his shelves as he refused to look on them to spare any more embarrassment with the devily woman... No matter how tempting they were sometimes.

Thinking about it like that, he realized that it wasn't the first time his lieutenant had done something like that, he remembered that she had once left some books with partially naked women on the cover before warning of touching them and getting out, surely that drew his attention but for not long as he he observed the covers for a while before quickly returning to his book. She came back a little bit later, standing in front of him on the couch where he was immersed into the one of the Living's history books -They've got some interesting stories- and she gathered them to get them out. She didn't even open them as she usually did her magazines, he knew that she usually didn't read anywhere but on the couch of the office. Was she.. was she deliberately trying to find out about his sexuality that way? The sly, wicked devil! To think he haven't even noticed until this very moment?

"Sooo?"

His attention was back again to the other. "What?"

"I finished my chocolate, would you tell me now?"

He shrugged and looked away again, his back sliding down on the exterior of the tree as he took his leg out from under him and joined it with the other, as if to create a wall between him and the boy setting in front of him in a sad attempt to block his face out from view, "Non of your business." He muttered.

Yukio made a face, "Ok, let's word this in a different way." Instantly he got into his hands and knees on the rug, getting closer to the other to get a better view of his face before he asked his next question, "Anyone ever caught your eye before, that you think they looked attractive? be it a boy or a girl?" Getting closer, chin almost resting on the captains raised knees, "How about Ichigo?"

A gasp was his response before the boy's face turned red all over, his eyes impossibly wide as he looked at the other's smirking face before closing them and curling more down over himself if possible, fingers fidgeting with the still unopened candy wrapper on his hands, "I-idiot!" He snapped, opening his eyes yet looking everywhere but at the blond, "Wh-what.. what gave you that idea? Why Ichi- K- Kurusaki. Of all people?!"

"Well, he's my friend, and you know him as well, so naturally he'll be the first to come in my mind," Yukio backed away slowly, smirk still on his face "Why are you so frustrated about it anyway? Oh, unless..." a socked foot was planted on this chest and he was pushed away a respectful distance from the white haired boy, the blonde laughed as he sat back on his backside, a grin still on his face,

"It's alright, Ichigo is so into boys too."

Silence followed the statement for a while as Yukio observed the other's reaction, he was still in his position with the leg spread flat between them, he was still not looking at Yukio and he still could see pale red littering on what was apparent on the other's cheeks before a small, unexpected whisper was uttered, "Really?"

"Yup. I guess it was one of the reasons we've gotten so close," that caused white eyebrows to be furrowed towards him, teal eyes taking into a strange look as they gazed into his own emerald that wasn't covered with his hair, the pinkish lower lip getting abused harshly with his teeth. It was.. jealousy? That he thought he recognized but it was mixed with something else, worry? Fear? He wasn't sure what that look meant, but he knew he needed to clarify a bit more, "Hey, not in _that_ way. Don't look at me like that!" He rolled his eyes.

"I'm not looking at you like anything."

"You see, I'm gay too. That was a big common thing we shared and imagine the glee upon finding that out about each other?" He chuckled, the most wide grin Toushiro had seen on his face till now on display as his eyes shrinked of the cause effect, "All the gay shows we could marathon together or the books, stories, mangas," He bounced up on his knees again in excitement as he particularly yelled the next word, "Games!" he then proceeded to laugh at the shocked expression on his partner's face, one corner of Toushiro's mouth was twitching comically as he observed the suddenly extra hyper boy he was forced to accompany, was the sugar he consumed responsible for that?

The blonde laughed for a little while longer before he sat back as he started to calm down, "Gods, I'm sorry I've got a bit carried away." Yukio looked around for a bit, a very pale dust of pink littering his cheeks. "I'm not even usually like that in public."

"Whatever." Toushiro sighed. _He's so weird._

"Anyways. What I'm saying is that Ichigo is a real good friend, we've been together through thick and thin." He sighed, completely calm now with a small smile on his face, "He helped get over my ex, I wouldn't have possibly knew what to do if it weren't for him."

 _A former boyfriend?_ Of course Toushiro knew what 'ex' meant, and that seemed to pique his interest, "What happened?"

Upon the mumbled question, Yukio didn't answer right away and just sat blinking and staring at the other as he propped himself up on the tree, face finally out of the scarf. Obviously now more interested in what the blonde had to offer. That was rather unexpected, he didn't think the boy would want to know anything about his life? He had mentioned it casually not expecting any reaction but, Yukio had been more surprised than disturbed about actually having to tell the kind of, still a bit sensitive story that happened to him less than a year ago. And although he felt a little bit hesitant, he thought that he was pretty willing to tell the other boy as he started to figure out a way in his head to start this with. It's ok, he had almost moved on, if anything this might help. Besides, If Ichigo trusted this guy, then why wouldn't he? And Yukio thought he had already started to like the cute, shy boy looking expectantly at him now, curious big eyes if teal gazing into his. Honestly, he didn't think the captain could be this adorably shy and timid, it was endearing.

However, before the blonde could open his mouth the Shinigami did first with yet an another embarrassed redness dusting his cheeks lightly, "O-oh." Eyes on his fidgeting fingers again. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

Yukio smiled warmly, a few hours ago he was all rude and hostile towards him, now so considerate and polite? "Nah! It's ok I want t- !"

A sharp high pitched bark to his left cut him off, and not a second later a firm grip was on his arm, forcefully pulling him up to his feet and dragging him away as he stumbled and lost his balance at the sudden and unexpected movements, digging bis heels on the dirt as best as he could, he looked up at his capturer and reached up with both hands to the small shoulders to try and stop the other from practically dragging him on the floor, "What's wrong?!" He yelled.

"You should get away from it." The captain hissed, eyes wary as he carefully observed the small creature behind the blonde. Yukio looked back at the white little cute dog that was nibbling at the chocolate wrapper on the ground where Toushiro had probably threw in his hurry.

"That's Poro." Yukio was confused at the weird reaction of the captain, surely Poro didn't look that frightening? Or maybe he feared dogs in general but then why would he drag the blonde with him? "It's ok, he's not harmful." He turned back to face the other, a reassuring smile on his face, "You fear dogs?"

He didn't get a response as the boy's watchful eyes never left the dog, "Poro is a stray dog that usually wanders around here, he's quite known as many students do feed him and take care of him, I believe some made him a makeshift home somewhere." the blonde explained, "And it's only me and Ichigo that call him Poro, he just looks so much like a dog I've seen in a game. Minus the red collar and leash." Yukio looked back at the dog, his hands fell from the other's shoulders as Toushiro let his arm free, watching as the small dog managed to break through the candy wrapper and started to lick eagerly at the the brownish substance, "I don't think that's healthy for him, wait let me just.." He then proceeded to walk towards the dog to take the chocolate out of the dogs claws before another hand grasped at his hand.

"You can't touch that! It's all soild with its drool!" The young looking boy panicked, pictures of the lecture he had just attended fresh on his mind.

Yukio frowned, "So what? I could wash my hands after. That thing might kill him."

"It could kill _you_!" Yelled the frightened captain.

"What are you talking about?" Yukio sighed, shrugging his hand from the firm grip before reaching to his bag on the ground, the other quickly and loyaly by his side as his eyes carefully watched his and the dogs movements at the same time. He took out a tissue paper and showed it to the other before heading towards to the dog, "I'm using this, alright? Non of the saliva will get to my skin." That seemed to relax the captain as he held back and watched as Yukio took the piece of chocolate out of the dog's reach, the small creature practically whining in response, jumping and barking at Yukio in hope to get his candy back.

"Sorry buddy. I'll get you something more interesting later."

He walked back and to a trash can nearby and disposed of the candy before going back to stand near Toushiro, a slight frown still on his face as he observed the other's still disturbed face as he watched tge dog going about jumping and playing. "A red collar, you said?"

Yukio tilted his head, "Um, yeah?"

"It's still there." He muttered.

"...hey,"

"What if he's lost and his owner is looking for him?" The captain looked up to the other, "Shouldn't we look for them?"

Yukio's frown deepened in concern, his gaze shifting back and fourth between Poro and the delusional boy, "Toushiro, there's no owner. There's no collar in the first place."

"There is, can't you see it?"

Yukio stared at his face for a while longer, he didn't know if that was part of the 'sickness' the captain is supposed to be suffering from, nor did he know how to deal with it. Was it wise to insist and tell him that he was seeing things? Or maybe just playing along is the right thing to do? Nevertheless, he just knew that Ichigo should learn about this right away. He left the boy's side, gaining his attention before he went to the tree and gathered his rug and backpack and headed back, his hand instantly grapped the other's wrist and dragged him away from the source of his illusions. Of course the captain protested, trying to retract his hand but either it was halfhearted or he was simply lacking the energy but if anything the last thought made the blonde the more worried.

In the way he had his phone on one hand as he quickly opened the texting app and clicked at Ichigo's name,

'I think your boyfriend is imagining things'  
'did this happen before?'

As expected, not a minute later the two checks turned blue.

'What?'  
'What you mean?! '

'He sees a collar on Poro?'

'What collar? '  
'Is Toushiro ok?! '  
'I'm coming.'  
'Where are you? '  
'Yukio.'

He couldn't help but let out a small smile at the rapid speed the strawberry was sending the messages in. He proceeded to write 'Cafeteria' as that what he planned to head for, but suddenly he felt the other's weak struggles cease as the arm on his grasp went limp, he quickly turned around just in time to catch the swaying boy, quickly pulling him into his body as he held him close to not fall. In his panick Yukio's phone fell and slided away somewhere, his arms trembling as he struggled to hold the weakened boy up, slowly lowering both their bodies to the ground to decrease the weight off his arms. To his partial relief he noticed the other's is still conscious, although his eyes were closed shut tightly, the captain's hand that wasn't previously in his grasp was held up over his forhead and eyes, the now free one joining in and rubbing at his own temples as he was lowered to his knees.

"Wh-what's wrong?!"

"I - I don't know, I just," He moaned, taking deep breath as to quill the bad feeling rising up through his chest and to his throat, "Dizzy."

"Hey, hey take it easy..." The blonde whispered, although he knew the effort ain't working amongst the noisy grounds of the University. Judging by the fingers he kept rubbing his head with, his head must hurt as well, "Wanna rest your head on my shoulder?"

The other only moaned as Yukio pushed his head down into his shoulder, the other easly yielding as he rested his cheek on the clothed shoulder. Soon a group of people gathered one by one around them, thankfully offering their help and asking what happened while others merely stood to watch. They've helped him lay the suddenly sick boy down on his back as some of the medical students checked on him, Toushiro seemed to slowly slip off to unconsciousness just before one had inserted his finger inside his mouth with some jammy substance which caused the poor boy to jump and startle up awake.

"It's just some sugar, it's ok." the gentle guy assured him upon seeing the startled eyes of the young looking boy, who was so tempted to spit it off. "Though I think you just need to rest, eat something and maybe then go home afterwards?" The brown haired stranger smiled before shifting his gaze to Yukio, the blonde nodded at him and people started to part away upon seeing the boy had awakened and was visibly ok. A girl had approached then and Yukio was thankful upon seeing his phone in her hand, her boyfriend by her side offering to carry the boy to the cafeteria whick Toushiro absolutely refused and shook his head furiously at.

"I'm ok. No need." he muttered, although fatigue was still all over his face and body. He allowed Yukio to help him standing up though and was still swaying at his feet. Yukio held him by the shoulders as they carefully started to walk, the huge building of the university cafeteria was just near the park so it didn't take them much till they reached one of the many tables to sit on one that was just outside the building itself. Better to avoid closed crowdy places.

"Feel better now?"

The captain's unfocused eyes looked at him as he just nodded. He still looked pale too. Yukio was worried, too worried actually and feeling distraught himself, the other was totally okay until Poro had came and freaked the hell out of him, then suddenly he was acting wired and seeing things then fell ill without any appearant reason? Yukio couldn't wait until Ichigo came, he thought he should take the boy home immediately to get his rest. Yukio had already asked a passerby to get the boy something to eat and he instantly agreed upon seeing the boy's pale face, a few minutes later the kind boy returned with a club sandwich and an big cup of fresh orange juice. Yukio thanked him as he took out money to pay for the food which the other politely refused and hoped for Toushiro's well being before going away.

"Ichigo should be here by now, where is he.. " Yukio frantically looked around searching for the orange haired boy, whilst paying great attention to the boy sitting beside him like he's gonna fall out his chair any second now, before getting his phone out -Thankfully it didn't get broken- and opened it, multiple 'missed calls' was the first notification to meet him along with many messages, he opened them first before cursing at himself, the last thing he had sent the other was when Ichigo asked them where they were and the word 'Cafe' was unintentionally sent when he had meant to write 'Cafeteria' when Toushiro had fallen and he was interrupted.

Ichigo should be worried sick by now, he thought as he scrambled with his phone to call the orange headed guy but a buzz sounding from Toushiro's way interrupted him, the unwell boy slowly took a small device out and just simply handed it over to Yukio, "It's Ichigo."

Quickly the blonde took the small phone and answered, "Toushiro's ok we're in the Cafeteria I'm so sorry I thought I've written Cafeteria im so-!"

'Fucking hell Yukio! I'm in the freaking Cafe why weren't you answering your phone?!'

Yukio took deep breath after his long sentence, "I didn't hear it. Anyways just come, I think your boyfriend needs to get home." He looked up at Toushiro, apparently he didn't even notice what he had just called him as he slowly nippled at his sandwich.

'What why? Is he ok?! Yukio did anything happen you didn't tell me about- ' Ichigo panted, he must be running now.

"Calm down ok? I'll tell you everything once you're here. "

He finished the call and put the small phone on the table as he waited, 5 minutes later he spotted the orange hair and quickly waved him down as he looked their direction. Soon a panting Ichigo was at the chair he dragged just beside Toushiro's, a frown on his face, apparently the orange head had noticed the change of the captain's previously healthy appearance and a hand was on Toushiro's shoulders which the latter didn't seem to mind as he slowly sucked at his straw. Before Ichigo could catch his braeth Toushiro spoke first, "I'm ok now. You shouldn't have left your class."

Ichigo shook his head as Yukio's mouth fell, "You kidding?! You had just fainted on me!"

Ichigo's eyes shifted to him, Yukio proceeded to tell Ichigo about what had happened with the sudden fainting incident which Ichigo wasn't so happy about yet not very surprised, telling Yukio that it wasn't unusual to find the captain passed out due to how much he stressed himself out back in the seireitei, and due to his condition now, it wasn't very unexpected, the turmoil that was his powers is still probably stressing his soul. He was so glad that he didn't listen to Toushiro and left him by his self. And he knew he could count on Yukio.

"I don't know what happened, suddenly I was dizzy and my head hurt." Toushiro's sighed, his shoulders sagging and his scarf now hanging open around them allowing the black collar that had transferred from his soul to his physical body to be appearant. Ichigo rubbed comforting patterns on his right shoulder as he continued. "But I'm ok now, the food did me good. The pain had lessened." He looked up at the strawberry, a bit of guilt shinning in his tired eyes, "You could go back to your classes, I shouldn't delay you more-"

"Nah, it's fine Uryuu is recording everything." Ichigo smiled, "I couldn't have concentrated."

"Not like you're giving effort-"

"You shut up." Ichigo quickly responded at the blonde's retort, kicking his shin as the other chuckled.

The imaginary 'red collar' wasn't mentioned though, he knew the blonde was avoiding it, probably thinking it wasn't a good idea to talk about it now and in front of the visibly tired captain. Ichigo thought he'd ask him about it later and probably then talk to his crush about it at home when he was feeling better. If he was experiencing hallucinations, then it wasn't good to keep silent about it, now it was just a minor thing but he feared it may get worse and the boy wouldn't even be aware about what was real and what was not. Unohana should know about this as soon as possible. For now though,

"Let's go home."

* * *

 **Poro! :P Yukio supposedly took the name from an actual game, it's called Yomawari: night alone.**


	8. Chapter 7

'So  
How is he?'

'He's ok, sleeping for now.'

'Good.'

'So what happened with Poro?'

'Oh yeah, Poro didn't have a red collar or anything at all right?'

'Poro from your game or real world?'

'Real world. -_-  
Really now, Ichigo?'

'No the last time I've seen him he was pretty naked. You said Toushiro mentioned he had seen it?  
Sure that someone didn't get it for the dog or something?'

'I would have seen it otherwise

'Alright.  
I'll talk to him about it later.  
Yukio'

'Yeah?'

'Big thanks for taking care of Tosh :D  
I'm sorry we couldn't hang out today,  
I thought we three might have fun really  
But.. '

'Nah it's fine.  
Toushiro's nice btw!'

'Really? Nice?'

'Yup, Could see what you like in him ;D  
Super cute.  
Adorable.  
Ravishing.'

'He's mine ;('

'Haha :p  
Anyway wanna have gaming night today?'

Ichigo was smiling now as he texted his friend, he was sitting at his desk ignoring the books he originally left open to study. Although he was still worried for the boy sleeping soundly on the his bed he couldn't hide the happiness about the possible friendship between two of his most favourite people. He took advantage of Yukio's last question and told him that he'd play with him if he told him _everything_ about what happened between him and the white haired captain in his absence.

Eagerly, Yukio did. He told him about when Toushiro had thought Poro was dangerous and made sure he didn't hurt the blonde, he told him about how the captain was very willing and interested to hear about Yukio's past 'love story', but what had caught his attention the most, what had his heart flatter and spring with hope was when Yukio told him about how boldly he asked the other about his sexuality, if he was into men, the other didn't really answer but never denied it either, but if all the frustration, blushes and shy behavior is anything to go by then that was a definite affirmative. And not only that what had Ichigo's heart wanting to fly, but Yukio said that he had seen what he thought was _jealousy_ when Yukio said that he and Ichigo were both gay and close. Could it be that.. Toushiro harboured romantic feelings for him as well?

"Wish you could have seen the look in his face." Yukio's voice resonated through the earphones as Ichigo listened to the many voice messages he had sent. Ichigo looked up again for the umpteenth time from his phone. He had closed the curtains and left the room lights off except for the small lamp at his desk, faintly illuminating the sleeping figure's face as Ichigo occasionally left his gaze from his phone to stare at. He was so peaceful as he slept, features completely relaxed. Thick long eyelashes softly brushing at his cheeks and pink lips opening and closing softly as he breathed. He had changed into some light comfortable Yukata and was wrapped with layers of blankets, his face facing the desk with one hand clutching at the blankets while the other buried inside, probably holding one of the small pillows. He looked like he hadn't slept last night, but he did Ichigo made sure of it, and it was not even near noon before the boy was this exhausted. He was going to report to Unohaha but he wanted to talk to Toushiro first.

"Don't you think it's time to ask him out already? Especially that you two live together for the time being, it's a perfect opportunity in my opinion." Yukio's voice came again. Ichigo hesitated, is it time? No, what if it made Toushiro feel pressured, or even scared? Burdened? or made things awkward between them? What if it broke Ichigo's own heart, could he handle it?

No he couldn't, not with the other constantly with him at all times even in his sleep.. What if Toushiro saw or heard him cry? Of course he knew he'd cry if he'd been rejected by the man he'd been crushing on for ages. He quickly shook his head feverishly, taking a deep breath as he rubbed at the tears that had collected in his eyes. Such negative thoughts is just what prevented him from trying his luck with the other, if he had confessed ages ago he'd be either his boyfriend now, or at least had already moved on and maintained the friendship they had, as much as the last thought hurt, it was better than being hanged like this for a long time. He had waited and waited and waited until his feelings became so massive that if things didn't go as they wanted, they'll come back crushing him heavily.

'I don't know, Yukio.'

Yukio sent a sad emoji. 'I _will_ let you know.  
Later.  
Have class now, bye!  
And  
Remember this convo is not over'

'Bye :p'

Ichigo smiled before closing his phone and try to actually get some studying done. Ichigo wasn't the least careless about his studies but this course compared to others he had had? It was nothing. Thus it wasn't a problem if he hadn't paid attention to classes or even skipped them, and anyway not every doctor was good at teaching and most of the time he depended on himself and his books, sometimes videos helped.

He was in the middle of memorizing some kind of a baby immunization schedule when he noticed movements coming from the bed. He watched as his crush was stirring from sleep, rolling onto his back before stretching his arms above his head, he kept them spread out as he softly yawned, and stayed like that for a while, Ichigo bit his lips to prevent a chuckle from getting out, he was so cute! He had seen him asleep before but never when he actually walk up -Aside from the time his phone had startled him awake- the sleepy boy slowly lifted his eyelids, blinking them a few times before his head turned towards the orange headed one.

"The light matches your hair." The coarse voice came as the white haired boy smiled, an actual real, and beautiful smile, "It looks beautiful."

Ichigo's mouth opened slightly agape, unblinking eyes stared in astonishment as those words processed in his mind, whilst he desperately ingraved that beautiful site of a sleepy, smily Toushiro to his memory. He was torn, his gaze swiftly shifting to the lamp that had surely spread orange light around the room, before quickly going back to the other's face in front of him.

Was he.. Was he been just called, beautiful? He could feel a blush making its way to his cheeks. Toushiro has called him beautiful, his crush calling him beautiful?! No, probably just meant his hair, just the color and how it probably glowed prettily as the light illuminated it. But his hair is part of him, isn't it? He himself loved Toushiro's hair and thought it was the most beautiful he had ever seen, just as the rest of him was. Maybe, maybe Toushiro actually found him attractive or something, maybe he likes him just a tiny bit? Things would be easier if that was true, a lot more easier...

 _ **'Getting our hopes up aren't we?'**_

He jumped and snapped out of it at the sudden voice inside of his head, that he, for once, appreciated for. Unfortunately -or fortunately actually- missing the small falter in the other's smile as he shook his head in a pathetic attempt to get rid of the heat on his face before smiling back, rubbing the back of his head, "T-thanks,"

He wanted to bite his tounge at the small stammer, contemplating what he wanted so badly to say next, he opened his mouth again,

"You're.."

Could he?

Could he say it? "..Beautiful yourself."

His heartbeat increased immensely as he anticipated in fear the other's reaction, gulping audibly as the other stared blankly at him before a small blush similar of his own rised in the angelic face, a small shy smile returning yet again to adorn it, "Thank you." He whispered softly. Before quickly avoiding his gaze as he sat up, eyes on his lap and fingers fidgeting with the blankets.

Ichigo didn't realize he was holding his breath until he let it out in a chuckle that had quickly gained the attention of the other. He couldn't hold it, he felt immensely happy that his heart wanted to burst, and only over such a small thing. He was that desperate, but he couldn't help it, it felt like he had made an actual progress with his crush. Even though he really didn't do anything.

"What is it?"

Ichigo found himself standing up of his chair and heading towards the other like a magnet was pulling him, never really knowing what was he doing. Nevertheless, he found the control to hold the strong urge to hug him as he sat beside him on the wide bed. A wide smile was still in his face as he looked at the curious eyes of the other, he raised one hand to the other's still pink cheek, stroking it gently as the blush intensified. His wide grin now turned into a loving, warm smile as he tilted his own head, staring at the beautiful teal that had not once left his brownish ones since he had sat on the bed. This is it.. this is the awaited opportunity..

"I.. You... " Ichigo started, closing his mouth again to take a deep breath through his nose, the nervousness rushing back to him as his heart started to hammer in his chest again.

"Yes?" Toushiro took his lower lip in his mouth in anticipation. The hand on his face quelling the nervousness he himself was feeling upon the closeness of the orange headed boy, and what possibly he was going to say.. For some strange reason, he was anticipating it excitedly, yet too nervously just as he thought the other should be feeling just now as he felt his hand falter. Quickly he raised his own hand to hold into it encouragingly and to keep it in place, apparently the action had actually had gave a boost of encouragement as the other inhaled deeply before the smile was back.

Toushiro didn't know what had occurred to him when he first commented at Ichigo's appearance, and it was true, he looked truely beautiful, with the faint light casting at his hair, skin and eyes making them glisten and glow beautifully against the orange rays.. Just as beautiful as watching the sunset and he couldn't let his eyes off him until the sentence was out of his mouth and he didn't even feel it was wrong of him, not until the boy took a little too long to react or say anything but when had actually snapped out of whatever he had went to, he wasn't sure of what was he expecting but at the other's words he was surprised, yet delighted and relieved at not being reacted negatively to. He thought he needed more time to figure things out but what was happening now? Even if a bit rushed for him, he thought he's liking it a bit too much. He'd had a soft spot for Ichigo for a long while now, though he didn't stop to actually think about it deeply, deep friendship it could be, but he knows what that was and he had it with Rangiku, for Ichigo it was similar but a bit different, he loved being in his company a bit too much, anticipated his visits and loved being touched by him a little more than Rangiku, granny or any other, it first happened just as he woke up after the incident in soul society and then before they gotten into the apartment, it had such a comforting and relaxing feeling into it that he found himself yearning for it thereafter.

"Toushiro, I.. I really like you."

A moment of silence passed while Ichigo held his breath, his nervousness seeming to get the best of him. Then a captivating smile adorned Toushiro's face again and he squeezed the hand by his reddened cheek reassuringly as Ichigo's eyes widened, "And?"

"And.. Woul-W-would you.. go out.. with me?" He gulped audibly, "Like a date?" The poor boy breathed, looking overwhelmed and Toushiro tried his best to reassure him, stroking the hand now and reaching out with the other hand to hold the one at the orange headed lap. He himself was unusually comforted and relaxed which he really didn't expect, maybe seeing the other that way was what did it, giving him the unusual boldness if only to give the other the courage and reassurance he needed. He couldn't help the smile on his face as it widened and looked down in attempt to hide it, whilst contemplating how could he answer this. He had never been asked that before, but he was very willing to try this, especially with this cute idiot. Was he always this cute?

He opened his mouth to answer after looking up but a loud ring tone interrupted and instantly the strawberry jumped in terror and got away from the the other causing him to release his grip in disappointment. Toushiro sighed and looked down in annoyance whilst the other fumbled with his pants to find the damned phone. Once it was out Ichigo quickly excused himself and got out the room, closing the door behind him.

Ichigo went to the bathroom and and held himself from actually yelling as he answered, "Yukio!"

"Whoa whoaa? What's wrong?!"

"You just, I did just, Toushiro's about- I mean I had-"

"Hey, hey calm down will you? Take a breath and try again, what's wrong?"

Ichigl sat at the closed lid of toilet as he toom deep breaths, running his hand through his hair and over his face as he tried to calm his hammering heart and the slight tremors in his hands. He had done it, he couldn't believe it. Was it a dream? Some part of him hope it was because he was acting like a god damned idiot in front of the other, but the greatest part didn't because, he had actually asked the other boy out.. And told him that he liked him.. And he didn't seem to mind. Actually he seemed very accepting, the glee in his beautiful teal eyes, the captivating wide smile, and how he held his hands and squeezed them in assurance as he was almost suffocating like a fool. He looked down the hand that wasn't holding the phone and brought it up to his lips, he still could feel the comforting warmth on it and he smiled.

"Sooo?"

A lot more calmer now, he answered, "It's Toushiro,"

"Is he ok?! What happened-"

"I asked him out."

Silence. "..."

"REALLY!"

Ichigo breathed a chuckle, nodding his head before realizing the other couldn't see it, "Yes."

"My ducking god Ichigo tell me everything! What how.. Wait did he said yes?!"

"That's when you had interrupted actually!"

"What! You shouldn't have answered you idiot, where are you now, where is he? God don't tell me you've left him right after asking him," Yukio yelled at him. "Just go and get his answer already! That was so rude, ain't fair to him."

"Really?" Fear started to get to him again, "What.. What should I do.. I just couldn't think clearly I- "

"Calm dowm, it's alright. Just get back to him and apologize, and ask for his answer." The blonde reassured, "Just stay calm, ok? Now go."

Taking a last deep breath, he answered.

"Ok."

Ichigo stood from his perch and headed towards his room again, slowly opening the door and slipping in. The white haired male was looking out the window, a frown in his face and Ichigo noticed how his body tensed once he was in. He felt bad, he had obviously made the other upset at his uncalled for behavior, he shouldn't have jumped off and away from the other like that or ran out the room.

Ichigo sat down beside him and took his hand in his, gaining the other's attention as he looked down at their hands. "I'm sorry, I just-

"Idiot." The other snapped annoyingly and Ichigo's heart fell.. Did he.. ruin this?

"I know," Ichigo inhaled and exhaled deeply for umpteenth time, "I.. I was nervous I didn't meant to.. to-"

"You shouldn't. I was about to say yes, thought you were better than running away like a coward. Or was that call more important?"

"No!" Ichigo looked up in suprise, fear instilling in his heart. He was about to say yes. He was about to and he had just ran away at the nearest opportunity to do so, he had ruined this indeed, his one and only chance.. "I.. I didn't.. I was afraid that.. I mean-!"

"Stop it," Toushiro sighed, before turning his hand over and clasping the hand that was on his, "My answer didn't change, relax."

"R-really?"

"Yes."

"You will... "

A nod.

They stared at each other, Ichigo wide eyed while Toushiro scowling halfheartedly, before letting it go and smiling up at him. Instantly he was engulfed in a warm, tight embrace as the other hugged him with all his might, the orange headed face buried in his hair as Toushiro's cheek was pressed to the other's chest. Although it was sudden, but he couldn't help but relax and relish in the warmth, he could hear and feel the quickened heartbeats hitting at the boy's ribcage and knew that it must have been worse than he had thought it was for the strawberry, the thought of being rejected must have been devastating, he couldn't really blame him.. He didn't know himself if he could ever confess to anyone. For how long had he harboured such feelings for him anyway.. He hadn't suspected anything until lately when this illness had befallen him and he was under the strawberry's care.. The looks he gives him sometimes, the touches, how very genuinely he looked out for him.. It could have annoyed him but it didn't. He first thought that it was the boy's usual behavior with everyone especially when he first saw him with his arm around the blonde.. And then other thoughts occurred to him about those two's bond, and it had upset him.. Very much that he felt deep dislike towards Yukio until that conversation with the the blonde, and if he was honest, any bad feelings he might had harboured towards him had vanished, actually he was starting to like the blonde himself.

After all, he had provided him with precious information he didn't know how he could get any other way, and made him realize himself that.. He might actually be liking the strawberry and the thought was appealing to him once he learned about Ichigo's sexuality, and how Yukio was hinting towards certain things about him...

Eventually the tight grip was released, the taller male slowly retracting his hands to himself as he sat back, making Toushiro almost let out a moan of protest, almost. When he looked up at the other's face it had been reddened and his eyes where sparkling of unshid tears of joys as a wide grin spread on his handsome face. Yes, Ichigo is a real handsome man, it wasn't the first time he had noticed it. "Sorry."

Toushiro rolled his eyes, "When?"

"What?"

"Our date?"

"Oh,"

Idiot.

Ichigo then looked thoughtful, before his eyebrows furrowed and his gaze looked to be studying him, "Once I make sure you're perfectly alright to go out again?" He sighed, "How are you, by the way? I meant to ask that first but you've.. You know, distracted me."

Toushiro let a small chuckle out, making Ichigo's smile come back again as he answered, "I'm ok, the rest and food did me good. The chaos my spiritual power is going through must be stressing my body, is all."

He then slid off the bed, stretching out his arms as he walked towards the door, probably heading to the bathroom. Ichigo had originally wanted to talk to the other about his possible hallucinations, and what it's going to be tomorrow since he wasn't comfortable with taking him with him to university again, but that's ok he thought they'd have the conversation later. Instead he immediately took the chance to message Yukio about the amazing news, which got the blond responding in excited capital letters and many, many happy faces, dancing and balloons emojis.

Ichigo then went to prepare some sandwiches for lunch -which he couldn't have until now- that will fill their stomachs until evening when he thought about ordering some Pizza. He made sure to make more than what was enough for two people, remembering Toushiro's appetite last night, accompanying the meal with different kinds of juice and putting them all at the coffee table in the living room.

"Aren't you going to change?" He asked once be saw the white haired male exiting the bathroom and heading towards him, his light sleeping yukata still on.

"No need. These are comfortable." He said as he sat beside the strawberry, smiling up at him that smile that made Ichigo's heart flatter, before taking one of the sandwiches as they started to eat. However, after a few moments of silence, he opened his mouth again, "Kurosaki... I.. "

"Yeah?"

"I've never tried this with anyone before.."

Ichigo was confused, "The sandwiches? Um ok the-"

"No you idiot," Toushiro rolled his eyes, "The.. date? Those kinds of things are new to me I-"

"Hey, it's okay, my first time too.. " He reached out to take the other's free hand in his, "You could tell, couldn't you? I mean, I don't even know much about dating and how it's supposed to go, I know it's just the first step... I guess. Once we actually do it we'll see to where it'll take us, okay? For now, no rush."

Toushiro's smile returned. Turning his palm to intertwine his fingers with the hand on his, the other squeezing his hand in reassurance. Funny, now itvwas him who started to get nervous, "Okay, so when?"

"Originally," Ichigo thought as he put his sandwich down, "I was thinking of Friday, I've got it off, and it'll give you time to get better, what you think?"

"..okay, what day are we in?"

"Monday."

"Oh, it's good. I'm fine now by the way."

"I couldn't be sure, Toushiro. Neither do you."

Toushiro frowned, "It's still, Hitsugaya taich-" he sighed, "You know what, I'm giving up."

Ichigo laughed, "Good, that out the way, now we gotta work on you calling me Ichigo!"

Toushiro rolled his eyes, but chuckled nevertheless as he shook his head. They pulled their hands from each other to continue their food. As expected, the smaller male had aten four sandwiches, as Ichigo barely finished two.. He didn't know how his stomach contained all of this, he watched as the boy sighed in satisfy and leaned back on the back of the couch, eyes closed. "It was good. Thank you."

Ichigo grinned, "I'm glad."

The taller male then left to take the dishes to the kitchen only to be followed later with the rest of the juice bottles by the other male and the latter put them back in the refrigerator as Ichigo cleaned the few dishes he had, "Anyways, Toushiro.."

He straightened up, "Yes?"

"So, what it's gonna be for the rest of the week? You know, when I'm in college."

"I'll go with you, what else."

Ichigo sighed, stacking the clean dishes to the side before turning towards the other, "No, better if you stay here."

Toushiro crossed his arms, "And call Kuchiki and Abarai to babysit me? Not happening."

"It's not babysitting-"

"It is!"

"Then what, when you're with me," Ichigo mimicked the other and crossed his arms, "You think I'm babysitting you too?"

The boy's scowl falterd, "N-no... "

"Then why is this different? They're only making sure no hurt will befallen you, neither by any possible hollows or.. or... whatever unusual conditions you may experience, just like what happened when you were with Yukio."

"How could I possibly faint in home? If I was tired I could just sleep it off and- "

"Toushiro not only that! You've.. " He sighed, "Look, I meant to talk to you about this," He ushered them back to the couch they were sitting at, Toushiro still looking upset and confused, he wasn't going to force anything on him, never. He'd just try and explain as best as he could, to convince the other and clear things for him to realize why he thought this or that was best for him. Even if it got them arguing a little, it wasn't unusual anyway.

When they were at the couch Ichigo continued, "You've seen Poro, didn't you?"

"Yes, what does this have to do with anything?"

"Right, Yukio told me you've seen he had a collar?"

"Red collar," Toushiro was beyond confused now, what with all those questions about a mere dog? "Your point?"

"There's no collar, Toushiro."

Toushiro was silent for a moment, before slowly shaking his head, "... No. No I've seen it, you and Yukio just haven't noticed I don't know why-"

"Toushiro, that's not possible, we've known the dog since he was a little puppy. No collar or leash or whatever was there- "

"What if it was new?! Someone had just gotten it for him..."

"Then Yukio would have seen it."

"Oh." Toushiro looked down, a deep frown in his face as he rubbed his head with his fingers. This is getting worse. It wasn't new, of course not, he had experienced hallucination not too long ago, the most realistic one was back at his office just before the day he was in the fourth. He could never forget that one, could never forget that.. Person. The pain and hurt he carried with him.. It still sent shivers down his spine whenever he remembered the terrible shape he was in, his voice and the fear it installed in his heart.

Two hands were rubbing at his clothed arms and it instantly brought him back to the real world, the orange headed must have noticed the slight shivers that had momentarily racked his body and was trying to comfort him. He smiled inwardly at the gesture, and closed his eyes to relish in it before his thoughts wandered away again. There was what he thought were auditory hallucinations, human voices, one in particular, that he was certain could never be real. It was one that had eerily resembled Ichigo's, yet too different. It sounded like his voice was doubled, the overwhelming layer of voice was a higher pitched version of Ichigo's, merged with the original layer behind it to creat a new and unique sound. The first time he thought it was coming from Ichigo, and then thought it was inside of his own head and it talked to him as he learned to ignore it later on. Not like the words and sentences it'd say made sense.

However, he had noticed that it never happened if he wasn't close to the orange headed male. It was somewhat troubling sometimes he had to made sure the other's lips were moving when he talked, just in case. It'd be too creepy if someone suddenly answered to something you hadn't said, after all. That's all aside from the weird, but very vivid dreams he occasionally had, -or at least he thought he was asleep when they had happened- The burning man, the giant stranger..

"I think maybe you're right, there's been some.. very strange things happening to me lately." He sighed, before he proceeded to tell the other about the weird occurances whilst the hands on his arms ceased and sat still on his forearms. He didn't miss the slight stiffness of them as the other tensed at the mention of the sounds he had been hearing.

 ** _'Hello there, Love! So you could actually hear me!'_**

"There it goes.." He sighed.

Ichigo kept silent for a moment, "You're hearing it now?"

 ** _'Of course he does!'_**

"Yes."

 ** _'Told ya didn't I!'_**

"Ok... what did he say?"

"I, Ah, I don't know.. It's just non sense? Does it matter?" Toushiro was confused, why's the strawberry this tense and troubled by these in particular? He looked.. apprehensive? He had thought the visual illusions where the real trouble. What he hears he could just ignore, especially if they were total nonsense. But what he sees? Things you couldn't possibly know if they were real or no by yourself, or when they were so freaking creepy and horrifying that could chill you to the bone of just how horrible and inhumane they were you didn't know how your brain had came up with such a thing... Things that sensed him and reacted to him, talked to him...

Why did he still fear them though? Knowing they were not real, mere hallucinations, fragments of his imagination. Couldn't touch him or hurt him, nor meant a thing or affected his life or others' in any way, weren't that often either. That should've left him reassured and safe.

So why was he still feeling restless and doubtful?

 ** _'I'm Ichigo's hollow,'_**

His head snapped up so quickly he might've as well given his spine a fracture, eyes impossibly wide and jaw falling slightly at the aghast expression the other was given him, "Your.. hollow?"

 ** _'Nice to meet yah!'_**

Ichigo, shocked, was slowly shaking his head in total disbelief, he couldn't have heard him, heard _his_ own hollow that is only in his own head, no other Shinigami should, that simply isn't possible... right? "Ho- hum.. my?-"

"Yes! Yours!" Toushiro was on his knees on the couch, raising to clutch at Ichigo's arms, if only to shake him out of his stammering idiocy, "He just talked again, introduced himself, said it was nice to.. to meet..." He then sucked in breath, letting the next word out in an overwhelmed whisper, "...me?"

The other's silent, shocked state only confirmed his suspicion.

"I can't believe it.. " He sank back on his heels, letting go of the other as he did so, "How.. not possible.. "

 _ **'Maybe you weren't hallucinating after all.'**_

"But.. what about.."

 ** _'Maybe they mean something.. '_**

"Mean.. something..? "

 _ **'Maybe you're just crazy.'**_

"No.. I- "

 ** _'Maybe Ichigo isn't even real-!"_**

"SHUT UP!"

He looked up at the screaming figure as he stood, eyes flaring with anger and fear and even when they were looking directly at him he knew they weren't meant at him. "shut the fuck up, hollow! For once just- just piss off!"

"Ichigo... "

Anger seemed to seep out the other's body at the small whisper of his name, giving a huge sigh before averting his gaze and sitting hunched at the couch, hand rubbing at his face, "I'm so sorry, I just can't seal him away.. uh" he faced the other, "I'm sorry you had to hear him.. For the life of me I don't know why is this happening, but I guess some things now made sense."

He then proceeded to explain the few times were Toushiro seemed to look at him expectantly like he had said something, or when he asked him about what he said while he absolutely hadn't utter a word. Thankfully Ichigo's hollow had actually shut up and didn't interrupt thereafter, at least he had the courtesy to stop his shit whenever it was too serious.

"Then, have everything else been real as well?" Toushiro asked apprehensively, "But only I could see.. "

"Toushiro.. "

A moment of silence before the other continued, "What if.. your dog had somebody looking for him? But no one knew. What if.. that man, he's somewhere, suffering and seeking help-"

Ichigo was on him, "Toushiro, no stop!"

"No!" He yelled back, "I mean.. The burning man, that must have been me! Yes, that's it, that's why Hyourinmaru was able to put the fire out.. " He breathed, shocked at his own words, "The fire was nothing but my own powers, leaking out of me, but hurting me in the process as I tried to scream and yell helplessly for someone to come and save him yet nothing came out, just like him."

He took a deep breath and let it out shakily, his hand coming to rub at his head as his gazr now averted away, "I was screaming help for myself, but I didn't know it. Hyourinmaru had had managed to suppress them eventually, obviously giving me temporar relief until Ran and Ukitake came to get me."

A hand reached out and was grasping the one he had on his head, peeling it away as he held it in both his hands, Toushiro looked at the hands caging his own for a moment, before meeting the gaze of the owner, "For all you know, what you just babbled about could all be nonsense."

For some reason, and despite his still overwhelmed state, the strawberry managed to get a smile he tried so hard to supress before it exploded into a small, soft chuckle, "Idiot."

Ichigo chuckled back, happy at the small achievement he had managed, "Let's not over think things, ok? We'll just report to Unohana and enjoy our time until we get her opinion about the matter?"

Toushiro sighed, but liked the idea nonetheless. There's no point in trying to find an explanation for things he wasn't sure were real. Unohana had warned him before. The smarter he gets, the smarter the mental illness becomes. He could be the one exaggerating his condition and he didn't want that. After all, everything he had seen is so much different than what he had discovered was Ichigo's hollow, he was the only thing that he could hear, and so much more often, unlike the others. He could be the only real thing, as much as it was disturbing.

"Kurosaki."

"What happened to Ichigo?"

Toushiro rolled his eyes at the disappointed look on the other's face. Honestly, he didn't know why he called him Ichigo before, it just rolled off his tongue without him realizing till it was out. "I could teach you how to block your inner partner out, so he could keep talking all he wanted but you won't be able to hear. If you wanted?"

Ichigo's eyes were so wide they could fall out their sockets, "That- that's possible?!"

Toushiro rolled his eyes again, "Of course. Why didn't you say anything before? Anyone could have taught you and took you out you dilemma ages ago."

"Wow.. and you use it?"

"Of course, because believe it or not, Hyourinmaru could be as annoying, sometimes." At the back of his head he could hear a desperate 'M-master!' but he ignored it, smirking. "So whenever you're up to it, tell me. It shouldn't take much time."

"That.. that would be amazing!" Ichigo was now grinning and laughing happily, "That would truly be like a dream coming true! Oh, oh god, this day couldn't get better!" He stood up, walking to his bedroom then walking back looking around like he wanted to do many things but didn't know what to start with first, "Um, uh we should report to Unohaha, then I should finish studying so I could get some free time for you to teach me! Oh but should get you something to entertain you while I study, oh gods and then there's Yukio! I've promised him to play games with him tonight.. Um, oh!"

Toushiro watched amusingly as the other blabbered frantically, before an idea seemed to strike his head and his eyes beamed in delight at whatever he was thinking about,

"Hey, why wouldn't _you_ play with Yukio?!"


	9. Chapter 8

"Rangiku?"

"Toushiro! Hey how are you? I miss you already."

Toushiro smiled upon hearing his friend's usual enthusiastic voice through the phone, usually they've only called each other by their names when it was only her and him, when they weren't just a captain and his lieutenant. "I'm good, how are _you_?"

"I'm great! I've been discharged from the fourth just an hour ago, but don't worry, I didn't need to be kept there all that time but Unohaha taicho wanted to be sure. As always."

She chuckled and Toushiro released a sigh of relief, she sure sounded okay. There was no need to worry. Even so, the guilt was still there. "Ran, I- "

"Don't you dare blame yourself."

"Ah... But, but I.." he hesitated, before whispering, "I've almost killed you..."

He could hear her heave a big sigh, "Really? You seriously think a bit of ice would kill me? I'm soo disappointed, Toushiro! I thought you thought better of me than that!" She scolded, "Besides, it's not you! You didn't mean for that power to slip out like that, did you? Or hey, maybe you did to get another lieutenant that would actually do their paperwork- "

"I'd never!"

"I was kidding, Tosh." He could hear the pout through the line and couldn't help but chuckle.

"I know."

He was sure she rolled her eyes, "Whatever, so how are you doing really? How are things with Ichigo?"

"I told you I'm truly okay, and Kurosaki has been nothing but good to me. Weird things happened though.. " He proceeded to tell her everything that he had told Ichigo about earlier, and the new discovery about hearing Ichigo's hollow. Obviously skipping the whole accident of him fainting at school, that was totally unnecessary for Rangiku to know, he had worried her enough. "Kurosaki is probably reporting to Unohana about them now."

Silence followed after Rangiku reassured him that everything is going to be okay, that he had her bedside him and even Ichigo. She had no explanation for any of it and he hadn't expected her to anyway, he only wanted her to know.

"Hey I know Unohana taicho and even Kurotsuchi will have an explanation for what's going on in no time, okay? Don't over think it too much. So let's cheer up, I have some good news to you! Actually, it's kind of a secret."

"I... I have a secret too."

A moment of silence before Rangiku absorbed the other's words,

"Eh? Really?"

"Hmn.. There's still one more thing I haven't told you." His face was heating up, he was glad Rangiku couldn't see it, "You first, though."

"Oh, things are getting exciting! Okay, okay and then you tell me your secret, no turning back alright?"

"Sure.. " He was seriously contemplating hanging up now, he has gotten nervous, he knew Rangiku will approve but still.

"Alright. So I've meant to tell you this before but haven't got the chance, I've heard this from a drunken Renji and I know it was supposed to be kept secret.. But-"

"Ran, would you just get on with it?"

"Be patient Tosh! Don't interrupt or I- wait, you know what? I ain't telling you."

"R- Rangiku?!"

She chuckled, "Sorry, Toushiro. I just realized that I want to see your face once I tell you."

"Fine. Not telling you mine either."

She sighed, "I guessed that much, at least tell me what it's about?"

"Why would I?" He pouted.

"Fair enough. Ok, mines is about Ichigo.. and you."

"Hello?"

"What is it?"

"Nope, not telling. I'm coming in a few days so hang on till then. So what is yours?

"...um, date."

"WHAT!"

'Toot. Toot.'

Toushiro immediately hung up, heat burning his face and heart hammering in his cage. Why did he say that? That was too forward, he should have just given a minor hint! He had just blown the secret away! It's not one anymore and it shouldn't be hard on his lieutenant to figure out who's his 'date' was. After all, she knew he was into men, and he was in the world of the living, in Ichigo's house, unable to get into contact with anyone from the soul society, and he hadn't even tell her about Yukio or any other man he had met. Isn't it obvious?

He slapped his palm against his face when his small cellphone went off again. It's Rangiku, she wouldn't let him rest till she squeezed the tiniest of details out of him. Should he answer? He had ruined his secret already, no point in hiding it anymore, tell her and then have her tell him the info she had? It was about him, him and Ichigo... What could it be?

"Won't you answer?"

He looked up from his place at the couch as his taller friend came out of his room, a laptop in his hands, "No, it's Ran, she just wants to annoy me."

With that he turned his phone off, blocking any possible calls that might come. He's off duty, so it's only going to be Rangiku's calls he's blocking. And she said she's not telling him until she was there with him, so it was really better not to answer now.

"Ran." Ichigo sat down on the couch beside him, the laptop open on his lap, "Why do you call her by her name, and not me, Toushiro?"

"I.. I'm just used to it."

"So, I should just make you get used to saying my name, hmm, like correct you everytime just like you used to correct me? A red, fat line under 'used to'"

"What.. What do you mean?" Toushiro blinked.

A smirk was now on the smug face if the strawberry, "Haven't you notice? You didn't "It's Hitsugaya taicho to you" me for a while now!" Ichigo thickened and hollowed his voice as he mimicked the other's usual sentence, and laughed at the dumbstruck expression that he had earned.

"I- I don't sound like that!"

"Nah you do, listen to you now-"

"I don't! Kurosaki!"

"It's Ichigo to you." Ichigo grinned wider and laughed at the cute angry, but embarrassed blush that was in the other's face now, before calming down and transferring the device from his lap to the other's. "Here, I thought I could teach you to use the internet before I get to study, ok?"

Toushiro had given one last scowl before shifting his eyes to the bright screen in front of him, "Okay.."

And they've done just that, Toushiro was quick to learn and he knew now how the device functioned, how to open videos in YouTube if he wanted, how to look for books and interesting sites to read, Ichigo had even shown him something similar to what Rangiku had once brought to the office, mangos? Or whatever she had called it. Ichigo didn't elaborate much on them and quickly skipped to teach him about the comment sections in all these sites and that if he wanted he could leave comments, but warned him from getting into any kind of fights, some people were too vulgar and wouldn't hesitate to insult him and those around him with ugliest words they could come up with.

The internet seemed too exciting, Toushiro couldn't wait to start using it already. He found everything too interesting but what had caught his attention the most, was those mangos or whatever, he didn't dare to ask Ichigo about their proper name, especially that he had wanted the same kind of ones that Ran had brought to the office, those about the love story about gay men. Some of these books Ran had left on his shelves and to this day he didn't dare touch, he feared she would caught him again reading them, or worse, any other could see him, Ichigo could. They contained a lot of naked men and porn, he didn't want Ichigo to know he liked reading porn!

Still, they were too enticing, and if he could read an electronic version of them, where no one would possibly know what he's seeing on that screen, then he's definitely taking advantage of that! There's only Ichigo at the house and he'll be busy studying until night. This is amazing.

So as soon as Ichigo left to his bedroom to study, he immediately opened Google and typed the stupid fruit's name. And that got him nothing but the stupid fruit's pictures! Toushiro scowled, teal eyes glaring hard at the innocent fruit before trying again. This time he typed 'gay mangos', still didn't get the desired results. The white haired boy sighed and put the laptop down on the coffee table, pulling his legs up on the couch and wrapping his arms around them as he tried to remember what Rangiku had called them before. He looked at his phone, contemplating whether he should call and ask her but quickly changed his mind, she'll probably use it to ask about his date. He then looked at the bedroom door, but soon shook his head furiously, tge whole point was to not let Ichigo know! Besides, there's no need to disturb his studies for such a pitiful thing.

He sighed and decided to just surf through YouTube and watch anything he thinks worths it. Moments later he found himself watching a video after another for some handsome guy that was talking about some interesting news and events around the world, some were stupid and funny, some were sad and scary, some he was sure were caused by hollows as the unexplainable destruction of buildings and stuff, though humans didn't know that. In the middle of one of those videos, particularly a scary one, a small window popped up with a short sound of notification that made Toushiro jump slightly, he quickly paused the video and looked at the small square that had suddenly appeared and kept emitting sounds repeatedly. Focusing on it, he noticed words after words popping inside it and he clicked on it, another white page opened replacing the one he was watching and what looked like the comment section appeared bellow while messages that were sent repeatedly littered at the white page each sentence in a small grayish balloons.

'Ichigo  
Ichigo  
You lil liar!  
Aren't you supposed to be studying?!  
Why are you on your laptop, huh?!  
I don't care  
If you finish or not  
If you had an exam or not  
We're playing games tonight!  
You promised'

Above the messages was written, 'Yuki' and a heart symbol, beside it was a circle with picture of a young blonde boy, he didn't need to see a bigger version of it to know who it was, he typed back:

'Yukio?'

His simple word was sent in a blue balloon, bellow it was written 'seen', the quick reply came:

'Duh! '

Toushiro thought a little of what to type back, he typed 'This is Hitsugaya' but then deleted it as he thought there's no need to be so.. formal.

'I'm Toushiro.'

A few seconds passed, the message had been obviously seen, but there was still no reply. After a while he could see the other 'typing' before a message was delivered.

'Really?'

'Yes.'

'Ahh... Ichigo never finishes his sentences with a full stop  
Neither this slow  
Wow  
It's really you?  
Then  
HEY TOUSHIRO!  
HOW ARE YOU?!  
I was so worried for you! '

Toushiro pouted, it was his first time ever typing through an actual computer and a keyboard, the letters aren't alphabetically arranged as it is in the small cellphones Shinigami had. Of course he couldn't be as fast as Yukio or Ichigo at it. Either way Toushiro ignored the comment and focused on answering the actual question. After all If he'd explain all that to the blonde he'd take forever.

'I'm fine.' He typed.

A moment later,

'Don't worry. And sorry.'

Yukio sent a smily face to apparently express that he was happy, before typing back,

'Alright! And don't be sorry  
I don't know what exactly you're sorry about  
But don't!  
Anyway a small thing will pop up, just click answer ok? '

And before the white haired boy could reply the small window already appeared. A video call then? That would definitely be easier on him. Seireitei had something similar to it and they've used it many times, it wasn't completely new to him. He answered and immediately Yukio's grinning face appeared.

The blonde boy looked a bit different than this morning, his yellow locks were, a bit wet and messier than the usual, apparently just taken a shower. The fringe on his face were actually tugged behind his ear, showing his other emerald eye and the rest of his face for once. He had a purple baggy T-shirt on that showed a big portion of his pale neck and shoulders. Yukio is so attractive, Toushiro admitted -to himself-, his features were so pretty he wondered why would a handsome guy hide a big portion of his face like that.

"You look.. Different." Toushiro muttered.

"Thanks!"

"Ah..? " He gawked, quickly revising what he had just utterd in his head. He thought the other looked cute and ravishing but sure kept those thoughts to himself?

Yukio laughed as he answerd, "I thought it's your way of saying I looked good?"

His eyebrow twitched, "No! It isn't!"

Yukio shrugged, "Whatever. Whatever, you look good yourself! So cute with that yukata!"

Toushiro shook his head frustratingly before yelling, a blush on his face, "Shut up! don't call me cute! You are cute! Whah no! I- I mean. You're not! I just meant- " His embarrassing stammer was cut off when the door of the bedroom door opened, a frowning Ichigo came out and soon his features brightened as he recognized Yukio's loud laugher.

"You're talking to Yukio!"

"Ichigo!" Yukio answered instead, obviously recognizing the strawberry's voice before he was even on the screen, "Can you believe, he had just called me cute!"

"WHAAT?!"

the snowy haired boy couldn't get any more embarrassed, his whole face going red as he looked back and fourth between Yukio in the laptop screen and Ichigo who had now sat beside him. Eyes wide and mouth opening and closing helplessly as he tried to form words in his head. Ichigo turned the laptop a little towards him so both of them could appear and asked, "Really?!"

"N-n-n-no!" A word was finally out and he couldn't bear to look at either of them as he closed his eyes and turned his head down, his hands up to cover his hot face, "He called me cute first and it was embarrassing me I just meant to get him back I didn't realize what I was saying I - "

Two hands were on his to remove them off his face, that immediately stopped his foolish blabber and he was thankful since he was doing nothing but embarrass himself more. God he felt awful, that was so out of character for him. A gentle voice reached his ears but he kept his eyes closed still, "Hey, hey so what if you compliment somebody? You shouldn't feel so bad about it Toushiro." Ichigo waited for a response but when it didn't came he continued, "Besides, you were right! Yukio is so cute, look at him," Ichigo nudged him and he hesitantly did, opening his eyes halfway to look at the still grinning face of the blonde but now there was curiosity in his face more than humor.

"You never saw his face like this before, right? He looks so beautiful with both his emerald eyes in the open, doesn't he?" Yukio's cheeks were turning an interesting shade of pink the more Ichigo talked, "I bet many people would die to see what we're seeing now-"

"Hey you talk like I'm sitting naked-"

"After all Yukio had many admirers, anyone could just ravish him right there and-"

"Gahhh stop!" The poor blonde screamed, his voice a few octaves higher as he covered his reddened face just like what Toushiro had done moments ago. Ichigo laughed and Toushiro chuckled before smirking as he watched the frustrated blonde remove his hands of his face and pouting adorably at the orange headed male. That was definitely enjoyable to watch, it felt like he had gotten his revenge and Ichigo helped him with that, as silly as it sounds it made his heart swell with delight as he chuckled some more.

"Anyways, Yuki!" Ichigo called as his laughter ceased, "I gotta go study, entertain my guest for me will you? And pay attention to your phone. See ya!" And with that Ichigo was gone.

Yukio sighed, "Idiot."

"Indeed."

Both looked at each other for while then Yukio chuckled. Toushiro's smiled, seemingly they could get along better than what he ever thought.

"I'm glad we both agree on it."

"Hmn."

"So what were you doing on Ichigo's laptop? I was honestly surprised, I thought you'd prefer a book or something rather than exploring our modern stuff."

"I would, there's no books here though. Aside from what he studies from."

"Oh yeah don't dare open these." Yukio's face paled at the mention of said books, probably had once opened one before if his reaction is anything to go by. It made Toushiro curious if any. "But hey I'm sure he had a couple of good books somewhere," Yukio leaned closer towards the screen and lowered his voice as to not let anyone hear but him and Toushiro, "Very interesting ones."

That got his attention, he was sure he had seen nothing that interesting in Ichigo collection of heavy books? Toushiro found himself leaning in as well, "Where?"

"Try to look in his drawers, maybe of his desk or nightstand?.. You'll know them once you see them. Trust me, you're gonna like them." Yukio grinned and leaned back, a small ringing tone was emitted from the blonde's side and instantly a red covered phone was on his hand. Instantly there was a frown, but not a second later the huge grin was back on his face as he looked up at Toushiro. "Hey Toushiro, let's play some games!"

Toushiro rolled his eyes, no way. What are they, ten year olds? "No, that's too silly."

"It's not trust me! Ichigo had-"

"I've already told Kurosaki no, the answer is still the same." The white haired shinigami scowled, Ichigo had suggested he plays with Yukio instead of the strawberry himself, but he had refused. He wasn't sure exactly what were they to play with and how, Ichigo showed him the black rectangular box, not much clue but he guessed it's something similar to the small console Yukio always plays with.

Yukio looked genuinely down as he lowered his eyes in disappointment, before grasping his phone and tapping at, "Alright."

A few minutes passed, "What are you doing?"

"Texting your boyf- Ichigo."

Toushiro pretended to ignore the 'boyfriend's part, although a the heat still warmed his cheeks and he pursed his lips, "What about."

"Annoy him because he's a promise breaker!"

Toushiro frowned, of course Yukio had a right to be mad but surely shouldn't take it out on the guy now and distract him from his studies? "I think you shouldn't."

Yukio was pouting now as he ran a hand through his yellow looks, "I know. And he said he would join me on the game if I gave him an hour. I feel bad now."

Toushiro sighed, running a hand through his own white locks as he contemplated. Tossing a look at the black console by the TV, then back to the scowling blonde. He just wanted someone to have fun with, why couldn't he provide him that? Not only was he ruining Yukio's mode, but also making Ichigo feel bad for not being able to keep his word to his friend. All of it reflecting on his own mood and now he was really feeling bad himself.

"Don't worry though. I told him it's ok, we could do it another time, when the exams are don-"

"Lets try it."

The other's head snapped up, eyes wide. "It?"

He rolled his eyes, "Yes, it. Your game stuff. I just realized I have nothing better to do."

Huge emerald eyes brightened delightfully. Toushiro was very thankful for the fact that the other wouldn't be able to get out the screen as Yukio looked like he was going to jump and hug him as he sprung forward, "Really?"

Toushiro suppressed a smile as hr tried his best to act nonchalant, "Hmn, really."

"Then let's do it!"

The orange headed boy's mode brightened immensely as soon as his blonde friend texted him about Toushiro actually accepting to play games with him. He was smiling and chucking as he could here Yukio's loud voice through the laptop on the living room, apparently too excited and happy even throughout Toushiro's occasional orders to quiet down. Yukio took his gaming activities too seriously, more than his own studies even. He'd cry over losing a game data or not being able to play for a while but not over a bad exam result or even if he couldn't make it through one of his courses. There's always another chance as he states, but apparently that doesn't go for his games as well.

Ichigo shook his head and closed his book for a while, staring out through the window at the orange brightened skies as listened more intently to the other two from his bedroom. Yukio now was teaching Toushiro how to turn on the Ps4 console and how to run a specific game. He wondered which game the blonde will choose for the Captain shinigami and Ichigo had really had the strong urge to ditch his studies and go watch Toushiro play for the first time, if he's going to like it or will he be good at it at all? He almost got out of the chair but quickly changed his mind and turned to back to his book, plunged earphones to his ears and listened to the music from his phone.

He couldn't go join them yet, he had to finish this chapter first and then he could go and watch Toushiro play all he wanted. He could join in the game even if it was one that would allow so. He got excited, he then would team up with Toushiro and break Yukio's head on his own games. Thinking of this made him want to finish earlier and so he opened his book and started reading. Music helped to distract him from the other two and actually focus on his studies, many found it weird, but music made him focus more, study more and for longer periods of times without interruption than without them on his ears. If he wasn't listening to the lecture then he was listening to the music as he studied.

Half an hour later his small Shinigami phone beeped, indicating the presence of hollows nearby. Instantly he was on his feet and out of his Gigai. Praying that Toushiro hadn't noticed, he opened the window by his bed and flew towards the hollows that were coming too near to his house.

Finishing a hollow after another, then another and another and another. Normally he wouldn't need his bankai against mere hollows but his fear for Toushiro's safety made him wanting to finish this as soon as possible. Mostly it was a group of Gillians, but a few Adjuchas were near as well but they were actually taking advantage of the appearance of the other hollows to feed on them, thus he left them to the last.

As he cut through hollows, their numbers were decreasing but suddenly an overwhelming, _familiar_ energy erupted in the air, attracting more and more of them as many gates cracked the skies to allow many out. He didn't have time to recognize the riatsu particles or focus on detecting from where it was coming from as crowds and crowds of Gillians, and Adjuchas that had apparently left the other hollows flew his way. His and his house's way, were Toushiro and Yukio were playing innocently and peacefully. Like hell he was going to let them ruin it and he started to cut through them intensely and non-stop, taking down as many as he could in one-blow attacks.

"Kurosaki!"

Oh no.

Ichigo quickly turned around in shock where Toushiro was standing on the bedroom's windows sill.

Out of his gigai.

But what had gotten Ichigo frozen on his place were the horrified expressions on the other's face, he was looking at a point beyond Ichigo wide eyed, his mouth opened with the corners twisted down and Ichigo could _see_ the enormous energy springing out of him in all directions.

Those few milliseconds were enough for an Adjuchas to aim a strong hit at the back of Ichigo's head, sending him to the ground bellow. His head swam and vision blurred, but all he could focus on was the another sound of a body hitting the ground and he looked up as the same Adjuchas covered with layers of frost standing over the small body that was emitting the cold, strong riatsu.

Then the next moment passed in a flash as Ichigo found his now thin blade deep through the hollows back, pulling it with the hollow to the side as energy explode from it killing it along with a few more ones behind it.

"Toushiro!"

Ichigo fell to his knees as he took the fallen Shinigami in his arms. Toushiro was shivering terribly with his arms around his own body and in the same state of terror Ichigo had seen in his face before. The pure energy was rushing out crazily and it was just now that Ichigo had noticed his own teeth were clattering together and his body was a covered in thin layers of frost just as the Adjuchas was. He didn't quiet know what had happened to the captain but all he knew that he should get him in his gigai right then and there.

If just the hollows were out if his way. What should he do now, what he should he do-

"I- i told you.. He.. They-"

"Shhhh!"

Ichigo quickly silenced the sickened captain angrily as he lifted him up to his arms and stood. He needed to think now. Get inside get Toushiro in his gigai and come out to fight? No, couldn't leave him alone like this. Grap the gigai and run away from the hollows? He could. He should. He knew what kind of destruction he would leave the hollow to make behind him, but he had no choice.

He'd sacrifice what he had to sacrifice to protect.

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo turned around, he couldn't believe his eyes.

Two figures had already started eliminating the hollows in no time, he had no trouble recognizing them, he'd always recognize that voice and he couldn't be more grateful upon hearing it.

"Rukia! Renji! I"ll leave the rest to you!" He screamed as loud as he could, the small body in his arms whimpering but the energy had been quieting down a bit. He hushed him and held him closer as he jumped back to his room, quickly pushing the weakened shinigami to his gigai that was sprawled on the bed and sat hovered over him.

"Toushiro..."

Ichigo slapped his cheeks a couple of times, no response.

He pushed the white locks out of the unconscious male out of his face before frantically shaking him, still no response. "Toushiro wake up."

He had checked his vital signs and to his partial relief, there was a pulse and he was still breathing. He quickly called to Unohana and she had told him that Kotetsu Isane was on her way. He kept his eyes to his face as he occasionally called to him, he could leave him to sleep as it might be better for him to recover from the crazy energy release but he wanted to make sure he was alright and didn't get hurt or something. So he kept sitting faithfully beside him, tracing his exhausted looking features to try and locate the most minimum movements, the only thing he saw was the minor twitching of his lips and Ichigo stretched a hand towards him to run it through the other's soft hair. Rangiku had once told him that it relaxes him, and so he wanted to provide as much comfort as he could.

He himself was still shivering but he didn't dare tend to himself until he made sure the other was ok. He still could hear the battle raging from outside but at least he knew his friends were doing fine, they were both strong lieutenants, a great candidates to be captains even, they could take care of themselves just fine and the number of hollows had lessened as Toushiro's powers were suppressed again.

He had waited for 10 minutes, enough time for the battle outside to quiet down and for Isane to arrive. She had checked on Toushiro and did a few techniques to help his body with the major energy depletion she stated he had before advising that he gets plenty of sleep and rest. Thankfully no hurt had befallen him and Ichigo was grateful.

"Is he okay?"

Ichigo looked up at the two now perched on the open window. Unscathed. Rukia looked genuinely worried but Renji acted nonchalant, although Ichigo knew he cared, at least for Toushiro's as a captain and a fellow shinigami, but mostly for Ichigo's sake.

"Yes, he is. I think he had wanted to help but when he got out his gigai he lost control. Thank you, guys. I don't know what would I have done without you." He sighed.

"Don't mention it." Rukia smiled in relief and Renji grunted in response, grinning.

"So guys, can I ask you two for a favor?"

* * *

 **I'm so sorry guys, that's all I have written :( I have lost interest, it happened when the document I had written the plans and general outline of this fic was accidentally deleted. Then I've just stopped and stopped reading bleach fics altogether, but then gotten back now for another fandom. So I don't think I'm coming back to complete this, but if anyone was interested in continuing it themselves then message me :D**

 **Still, I need to know if my writing skills are good? Please be honest and tell me even if it was bad, I just want to know, I won't get annoyed or anything! At least if I've ever thought of writing anything again i'd know what to avoid.**

 **Thank u for reading till the last chap, hope u had enjoyed it!**


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